The Uncomfortable Feminism of a "Political Theorist"

Moving from the publication of the Italian translation of Wendy Brown’s Politics out of History, the essay discusses of two crucial issues for contemporary feminist political theory: the demand for rights and the politics of sexual difference. Concerning the first one, Brown’s peculiar position – he...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Paola Rudan
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: University of Bologna 2012-11-01
Series:Scienza & Politica
Subjects:
Online Access:http://scienzaepolitica.unibo.it/article/view/3200
Description
Summary:Moving from the publication of the Italian translation of Wendy Brown’s Politics out of History, the essay discusses of two crucial issues for contemporary feminist political theory: the demand for rights and the politics of sexual difference. Concerning the first one, Brown’s peculiar position – her well known critique of rights and her conception of rights as an empty signifier that historically did and still could catalyze powerful political instances – is read through a close understanding of her conception of the relationship between theory and politics. Concerning the second one, it is argued that Brown’s discourse allows to point out the risks implied by the politics of sexual difference both when it does not understand that difference could be a lever for the reproduction of contemporary political power, most of all when “the subject”, however “different”, is conceived as the unavoidable premise of political discourse.
ISSN:1825-9618
1825-9618