Varieties of Feminism German Gender Politics in Global Perspective [Paperback]

Varieties of Feminisminvestigates the development of German feminism by contrasting it with women's movements that arise in countries, like the United States, committed to liberalism. With both conservative Christian and social democratic principles framing the feminist discourses and movement goals, which in turn shape public policy gains, Germany provides a tantalizing case study of gender politics done differently.The German feminist trajectory reflects new political opportunities created first by national reunification and later, by European Union integration, as well as by historically established assumptions about social justice, family values, and state responsibility for the common good. Tracing the opportunities, constraints, and conflicts generated by using class struggle as the framework for gender mobilizationjuxtaposing this with the liberal tradition where gender and race are more typically framed as similarFerree reveals how German feminists developed strategies and movement priorities quite different from those in the United States. Breaking new ground in the study of comparative feminisms, this beautifully written and engaging book situates feminist activism in relation to changing gender regimes and gender orders within Germany, the US, the EU, and the UN system itself. Ferree's astute analyses of grassroots mobilizations, cultural production, NGOization, state feminism, gender mainstreaming, and supranational negotiation guarantee that this book will become a feminist classic. InVarieties of FeminismMyra Marx Ferree provides a compelling history of contemporary German feminism, which she contrasts with the history of the American women's movement. . . Ferree's comparative strategy is successful. . . In demonstrating the importance of opportunity structures, Ferree contributes to feminist theory regarding intersectionality as discourse and practice, showing the importance of national political and historical context. . . This is anl3.