Chris Beasley

"In this concise and accessible introduction to feminist theory, Chris Beasley provides clear explanations of the many types of feminism which exist in different Western societies. She outlines the development of liberal, radical and marxist/socialist feminisms, reviews the more contemporary influences of psychoanalysis, postmodernism, theories of the body, and queer theory, and attends to the ongoing significance of race and ethnicity. Given the diversity of feminist ideas, Chris Beasley suggests a number of ways of looking at feminist theory and offers an open-ended approach which allows for variety and change."--BOOK JACKET.

An Introduction to Feminist Theory

What is Feminism?

Angelique Bletsas

Carol Bacchi's scholarship is both substantial and wide-ranging. Beginning her academic career as a historian in the field of English-Canadian women's suffrage, Bacchi has made innovative and insightful contributions to the fields of feminist theory, critical policy studies, and post-structuralist theory. One of the characteristic traits of her scholarship is her interest in revising and revisiting analytic problems from a range of perspectives... This resolute analytical rigour is undoubtedly evident in Bacchi's 'What's the Problem Represented to be?' ('WPR') approach, which is perhaps her most crucial contribution to intellectual inquiry and certainly one of the most innovative analytical frameworks developed in recent times... This book illuminates, commemorates, and builds upon Bacchi's 'WPR' approach. It outlines the trajectory of the development of the 'WPR' approach from Bacchi's early engagements with feminist thinking, as an academic in scholarly environments which were often the preserve of men, towards the theoretical sophistication of an approach which requires an ongoing critical assessment of assumptions about the social world, social 'problems', policy agendas deemed to respond to those 'problems', and the researcher's positioning. This book arose out of a conference organised by the Fay Gale Centre for Research on Gender at The University of Adelaide honouring Carol Bacchi's work and is intended to make that work accessible to a range of audiences. - from the Introduction, by Angeliques Bletsas and Chris Beasley.

Strategic Interventions and Exchanges

Engaging with Carol Bacchi

This book offers a critique of economics from a feminist perspective, providing an alternative agenda. It redefines notions of economics by challenging market-based or market-derived economic paradigms which marginalize/exclude women and their labours. It provides an alternative direction for social and political theory, as well as for economic thought.

Conceiving a Feminist Economics

Sexual Economyths

Chris Beasley contextualizes a wide range of feminist perspectives, including modernist, liberal, postmodern, queer and gender difference feminism. In men's studies, he examines areas of debate ranging from gender and masculinity to questions of race, ethnicity, imperialism and gay masculinities.

Critical Theories, Critical Thinkers

Gender and Sexuality

Mary Holmes

Heather Brook

This book explores heterosexualities in their complex and everyday expressions. It engages with theories about the intersection of sexuality with other markers of difference, and gender in particular. The outcome will productively upset equations of heterosexuality with heteronormativity and accounts that cast heterosexuality in "sex critical, sex as danger" terms. Queer/feminist ‘pro-sex’ perspectives have become prevalent in analyses of sexuality, but in these approaches queer becomes the site of subversive, transgressive, exciting and pleasurable sex, while heterosex, if mentioned at all, continues to be seen as objectionable or dowdy. It challenges heterosexuality’s comparative absence in gender/sexuality debates and the common constitution of heterosexuality as nasty, boring and normative. The authors develop an innovative analysis showing the limits of the sharply bifurcated perspectives of the "sex wars". This is not a revisionist account of heterosexuality as merely one option in a fluid smorgasbord, nor does it dismiss the weight of feminist/pro-feminist critiques of heterosexuality. This book establishes that if relations of domination do not constitute the analytical sum of heterosexuality, then identifying its range of potentialities is clearly important for understanding and helping to undo its "nastier" elements.

Heterosexuality in Theory and Practice

About various theories of gender, sexuality, feminism and masculinity including queer theory, transgender theorizing, modernist liberationism and social constructionism.

Power, Culture, and Society

The Cultural Politics of Contemporary Hollywood Film

This accessible introduction to gender and sexuality theory offers a comprehensive overview and critique of the key contemporary literature and debates in feminism, sexuality studies and men's studies. Chris Beasley's clear and concise introduction combines a wide-ranging survey of the major theorists and key concepts in an ever-growing and often passionately debated field. The book contextualizes a wide range of feminist perspectives, including: modernist, liberal, postmodern, queer and gender difference feminism; and in the realm of sexuality studies covers modernist liberationism, social constructionism, transgender theorising and queer theory. In men's studies, Chris Beasley examines areas of debate ranging from gender and masculinity to questions of race, ethnicity, imperialism and gay masculinities. Interconnections between the subfields are highlighted, and Beasley considers the implications of body theory for all three. Key theorists covered include: Altman · Brod · Butler · Califia · Carbado · Connell · Dowsett · Grosz · Halberstam · Hook · Jackson · Jagose · Nussbaum · Rich · Seidman · Spivak · Stoltenberg · Weeks · Whittle · Wolf · Wollstonecraft The only book of its kind to draw together all the important strands of gender analysis, Gender and Sexuality is a timely and impressive overview that is invaluable to students and academics taking courses on gender and feminist theory, sexuality and masculinity.

Internet Dating deals primarily with the experiences of UK and Australian daters, examining their online accounts to see what kinds of narratives, norms, emotions and ‘chemistry’ shape their dating. Has the emergence and growth of internet dating changed the dating landscape for the better? Most commentators, popular and academic, ask whether online dating is more efficient for individuals than offline dating. We prefer a socio-political perspective. In particular, the book illustrates the extent to which internet dating can advance gender and sexual equality. Drawing on the voices of internet daters themselves, we show that internet dating reveals how social change often arises in the unassuming, everyday and familiar. We also pay attention to often ignored older daters and include consideration of daters in Africa, Scandinavia, South America, Asia and the Middle East. Throughout, we explore the pitfalls and pleasures of men and women daters navigating unconventional directions towards more equitable social relations.

Intimacy and Social Change

Internet Dating

Adopting and developing a ‘cultural politics’ approach, this comprehensive study explores how Hollywood movies generate and reflect political myths about social and personal life that profoundly influence how we understand power relations. Instead of looking at genre, it employs three broad categories of film. ‘Security’ films present ideas concerning public order and disorder, citizen–state relations and the politics of fear. ‘Relationalities’ films highlight personal and intimate politics, bringing norms about identities, gender and sexuality into focus. In ‘socially critical’ films, particular issues and ideas are endowed with more overtly political significance. The book considers these categories as global political technologies implicated in hegemonic and ‘soft power’ relations whose reach is both deep and broad.

Chris Beasley

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