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FEMINIST

JURISPRUDENCE
2013

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Carol Gilligan
Robin West
Luce Irigaray
Nancy Chodorow

Oikeus-tieteellinen tiedekunta / Henkiln nimi /


Esityksen nimi

2/19/15

EQUALITY VS DIFFERENCE
Stage 1 Equality
Men and women are equal
Rights for women
Law neutral
Stage 2 Difference
Women and men are different
Different starting point
Law does not include women experience
Radical sexuality Cultural motherhood

Oikeus-tieteellinen tiedekunta / Henkiln nimi /


Esityksen nimi

2/19/15

Neutral law = bad for women


women experience and suffering is not portrayed
in law

Oikeus-tieteellinen tiedekunta / Henkiln nimi /


Esityksen nimi

2/19/15

The Porcupine and the Moles


It was growing cold, and a porcupine was looking for a home. He
found a lovely cave, but it was occupied by a family of moles.
"Would you mind if I shared your home for the winter?" the
porcupine asked the moles.
The generous moles consented, but the cave was small and
every time the moles moved around they were scratched by the
porcupine's sharp quills. At last the moles gathered courage to
approach their visitor. "Please leave," they said, "and let us have
our cave to ourselves once again."
"Oh no!" said the porcupine. "This place suits me very well."
How would you solve this problem? Why is your solution a good
one?
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Porcupine and Moles: Example responses


Lyons (1988) participants: 60 adolescents, aged 11 & 15 years
Justice
"The porcupine has to go definitely. It's the mole's house."
"It's their ownership and nobody else has a right to it."
Caring
"Wrap the porcupine in a towel" (so he can stay but he won't
prick the moles).
"The both of them should try to get together to make the hole
bigger."
"There'd be times when the moles would leave or the
porcupine would stand still or they'd take turns doing stuff -eating stuff and not moving."
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Carol Gilligan:
Two Approaches to Moral Reasoning
Justice: Focusing on abstract
moral principles such as fairness,
equality under the law, the right to
liberty, property, life
Caring: Focusing on how a
decision would effect others around
one. Would it promote harmony or
dissention?

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Ethics of care
Ethics of Justice
Universal reasoning
Rights and equity

thics of care
Each situation
different answer
(particularity)
Care and relations
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CARE ETHICS

The philosophers who developed and


write about care ethics describe it as
a feminine ethic. Most of them are
feminists.
They claim that males see ethics as
being about principles, whereas
females see ethics as being about
relationships.
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Cultural feminism
Women and men differences
biological or cultural.
Women and men are different
Women culture is undervalue
Celebration of women's difference.

Oikeus-tieteellinen tiedekunta / Henkiln nimi /


Esityksen nimi

2/19/15

10

Gilligans theory of Ethics

Men:

Ethic of autonomy

Women: Ethic of care

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CULTURAL FEMINISM
(RELATIONAL , DIFFERENT VOICE )
Carol Gilligan, In a Different Voice,
Ethics of justice vs Ethics of care

Oikeus-tieteellinen tiedekunta / Henkiln nimi /


Esityksen nimi

2/19/15

12

Women all experience motherhood, pregnancy and


childbirth
Reproduction as a commonality among all women
Women are coneccted to otheres , not independen not
autonomous
Do all women ..? Same experience or at all

Oikeus-tieteellinen tiedekunta / Henkiln nimi /


Esityksen nimi

2/19/15

13

EMPHASIZES ESSENTIAL DIFFERENCES


(Essence of the feminim)

Robin West : formative events that creat connection


1.
2.
3.
4.

Pregnancy
Heterosexual penetration, sometimes leading to pregnancy
Menstruation (related to the potential for Pregnancy)
Breast-feeding (after pregnancy)

As mothers, we nurture the weak and we depend upon the strong. More
than do men, we live in an interdependent and hierarchical natural web
with others of varying degrees of strength.

. Essentially connected and not essentially separate from others


MOTHER (identity of women ) or potential mother (conection)
Create a more female oriented culture

Oikeus-tieteellinen tiedekunta / Henkiln nimi /


Esityksen nimi

2/19/15

14

Women have a different conection to


the world due to pregnancy and
breast feeding.
Law does not address the world
through care .
Equality before the law can only be
achieved through recognition of
biological and cultural differences.
Oikeus-tieteellinen tiedekunta / Henkiln nimi /
Esityksen nimi

2/19/15

15

EQUALITY VS DIFFERENCE
Womens experience

RADICAL FEMINISM
POWER
Structures are male
CULTURAL FEMINISM
Feminine values undervalued

Oikeus-tieteellinen tiedekunta / Henkiln nimi /


Esityksen nimi

2/19/15

16

EQUALITY VS DIFFERENCE
Womens experience

RADICAL FEMINISM
POWER
Structures are male
CULTURAL FEMINISM
Feminine values undervalued

Sexual violence motherhood


Oikeus-tieteellinen tiedekunta / Henkiln nimi /
Esityksen nimi

2/19/15

17

Differences - Experience - Universal approach

Oikeus-tieteellinen tiedekunta / Henkiln nimi /


Esityksen nimi

2/19/15

18

Is women experience include in the


law /norm?
Does the law /norm /policy adrees
only one sex experience ?
Different starting point structural
discrimination direct /indirect
discrimination
Oikeus-tieteellinen tiedekunta / Henkiln nimi /
Esityksen nimi

2/19/15

19

Contrasted with Other Theories


Ch. 1 Formal Equality: to the extent men & women
are similarly situated, should be treated the same.
Primary focus of 2d wave. Equality
Ch. 2 Substantive Equality: where not similarly
situated, provide remedies for past discrimination,
recognize sex-linked average differences, outlaw
pregnancy discrimination. Statutory remedies
evolution of family law to provide substantive
equality.

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Contrasted with Other Theories


Ch. 3 substantive equality -Nonsubordination
Leading theorists: MacKinnon, Millet
Issues: Actionable sexual harassment dealing with
domestic violence, criminal law (rape, sexual assault,
provocation, battered womens syndrome),
pornography, sexual orientation discrimination,

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