For Justice, For Feminism: Rawls and Feminism

Author: Guo Xiajuan
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-07-01
Features: In the 1970s, Rawls's Theory of Justice became a global hot topic, coinciding with the formation period of feminist political philosophy. This book examines what has truly happened in contemporary Western theories of justice through the debate between feminism and Rawls, reflecting on Rawls's contractarian method and its two principles of justice. Does Rawls's theory exhibit patriarchal characteristics? Is the scope of the two principles of justice inclusive of women's lived experiences? Does the justice distribution model centered on the difference principle encompass all social justice issues? What kind of justice ideal does feminism pursue? From a feminist perspective, it can be discovered that precisely under the guise of universal justice, unequal gender systems are even more deeply concealed. Feminism reveals the distinctive features of Rawls's theory of justice, aiming to deconstruct the gender "blind spots" in justice theory, integrate women's justice demands and theoretical construction into the mainstream interpretation of justice theory, and seek an inclusive justice society with an "emancipatory" attitude that values both genders. The perspective and content of this book are pioneering in similar research, offering a new research angle and showcasing the development trends of contemporary Western theories of justice. Examining the male liberal feminist justice view represented by Rawls from a feminist standpoint has certain practical significance in revealing the shortcomings of China's gender system and creating a just social environment.