Engendering Democracy

Democracy is the central political issue of our age, yet debatesover its nature and goals rarely engage with feminist concerns. Nowthat women have the right to vote, they are thought to present nospecial problems of their own. But despite the seeminglygender-neutral categories of individual or citizen, democratictheory and practice continues to privilege the male. This book reconsiders dominant strands in democratic thinking -focusing on liberal democracy, participatory democracy, andtwentieth century versions of civic republicanism - and approachesthese from a feminist perspective. Anne Phillips explores theunder-representation of women in politics, the crucial relationshipbetween public and private spheres, and the lessons of thecontemporary women's movement as an experience in participatorydemocracy.