Gender in International Relations: Feminist Perspectives on Achieving Global Security

In Gender in International Relations, J. Ann Tickner extends and applies a variety of contemporary feminist perspectives to the phenomena of international relations. These new ways of seeing suggest constructive criticisms of realist, liberal, and Marxist theories, and in particular reveal gender differences and inequalities in the historical construction of state identities and citizen responsibilities. Tickner explores economic and environmental concerns, asking what difference it makes when gender relations are introduced into the analysis. She demonstrates how a feminist perspective on international relations changes and expands our view of the global system. Having introduced a gendered perspective on international relations, the author links it to recent critiques of realism and neorealism, which she claims are inadequate for explaining international politics today. In addition, the book explores the ways in which the world economy has differentially rewarded men and women, and reexamines the gender implications of modern mankind's domination over nature. This review of gender differences in political, military, economic, and ecological relations offers a new view of the insecurities faced by women and men in world politics. Tickner's feminist reconceptualization of security deepens and recasts recent theoretical efforts in international relations to construct more adequate security arrangements, both comprehensive and common.