Political Theory

Section Chairs:
Brooke Ackerly (VanderBilt University) Email
Regina Kreide (Justus Liebig University Giessen) Email

Description:
Building on the success of the first Political Theory Section in Barcelona 2013, the section seeks to bring together a wide range of feminist theorizing. In deploying the concepts of gender, gendered oppression, sexuality, heteronormativity, intersectionality and others as critical perspectives, feminist political theory de-constructs and re-defines mainstream concepts of political studies. It is a heterogeneous and controversial field, and it has evolved in inter-disciplinary discourse and in connection with feminist movements. Latest discussions have been stimulated by post-colonial and decolonizing theories, critical “race” studies, queer studies and disability studies among others. Moreover, cross-disciplinary exchange facilitates the identification of novel political phenomena which demand critical scrutiny from a gender perspective.

Feminist debates about (state) power, citizenship, justice, responsibility, human rights, representation, resistance and agency suggest that political theories are themselves political. Theories not only depict political realities, but are themselves part of political processes; they might reproduce or challenge a specific order of knowledge about society and politics. Such “onto-epistemological” contributions can function in repeating, re-shifting or subverting political boundaries, exclusions, and hierarchies.

We invite panels and papers that engage with current themes, concepts and debates in (feminist) political theory, discuss the relationship between theory and empirical research, or engage in question of methodologies for feminist theory. Any investigations of politics and/or the political within the framework of feminist political theory and philosophy are welcome.