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Feminism vs. Multiculturalism

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Title: Feminism vs. Multiculturalism


1
Feminism vs. Multiculturalism
2
Structure of the lecture
  • 1. Summarize Okins argument.
  • 2. That gave rise to a storm of critique gt
    discuss some of the most interesting critiques.
    Including the reactions of some of the accused
    advocates of multiculturalism (Kymlicka, Parekh)
    and Okins reply.
  • 3. Yet, most people recognise that there can
    exist a tension between multiculturalist en
    feminist concerns gt how should the problem be
    addressed? Basically 2 possible strategies
  • a. The liberal answer (3 variants pros and
    cons)
  • b. The democrats answer (1 example pros and
    cons) Here Okin herself on second thought

3
  • Most cultures are deeply illiberal and
    patriarchal
  • Central aim control of women by men
  • All cultures have patriarchal pasts, but some
    have left this past more behind them then others
  • Most cultures are patriarchal and many cultural
    minorities that claim group rights are more
    patriarchal than the surrounding cultures
  • Group rights to preserve the culture is not,
    therefore, in the interest of the female members
  • Susan Moller Okin

4
3 possible options
  • multiculturalism at the expense of women (worst
    option)
  • assimilation a culture would become extinct if
    the members would assimilate into the dominant
    culture (better)
  • minority cultures reform themselves along
    feminist lines (preferred option).

5
The critiques
  • You misrepresent other cultures and religions
    (Al-Hibri)
  • You mix up culture with religion (also Al-Hibri)
  • You wrongly have a universalist perspective on
    feminism in which Western culture is the best
    (Honig) What constitutes male violence, what
    counts as sexual inequality and what exactly have
    culture and its extinction to do with either of
    these things?

6
The men speak back
  • Will Kymlicka we are allies in a joint struggle
    for a more inclusive conception of justice.
  • Bhikhu Parekh lets engage in a dialogue between
    liberal and non-liberal cultures

7
Okin speaks back
  • Contra Aziza Al-Hibri in theory Islam may be
    great, but look at its practice
  • Contra the argument that she silences the
    authentic voices of other women is it me, or my
    critics?
  • Contra Bonnie Honig Okin basically disputes with
    the examples, but not with central argument that
    she wrongly claims that western culture is less
    patriarchal
  • Contra Honig and Parekh odd that you strike out
    at liberal values e.g free speech while at same
    time enjoying them
  • Contra Parekhopen-minded dialogue with illiberal
    cultures? Who do you expect to speak with?

8
How to deal with tension feminism/multiculturalism
?
  • 2 strategies
  • liberal approach weigh the practice against
    liberal principles
  • democratic approach lets talk it out
  • liberal approach liberal, but not necessarily
    democratic
  • democratic approach democratic, but not
    necessarily liberal

9
The liberal approach
  • Variant Will Kymlicka I have defended the right
    of national minorities to maintain themselves as
    culturally distinct societies, but only if, and
    in so far as, they are themselves governed by
    liberal principles.
  • Kymlicka balances a cultural practice against the
    basic rights of individuals, i.c. autonomy
  • Despite his remark that liberals have a right,
    and a responsibility, to speak out against gender
    injustices, in the end he chooses for the group

10
  • Variant Chandran Kukathas

11
  • Core concepts
  • Toleration
  • Freedom of association
  • No group rights
  • Protection of women
  • . Exit
  • . If group wants to stay connected to wider
    society, they have to abide by societys laws
  • Realistic exit rights?

12
  • Variant Marilyn Friedman
  • Central concept personal autonomy
  • wants to prevent that women are forced to lead
    oppressive lives
  • yet does not want to impose liberalism on
    non-liberal groups
  • if women consent to a practice that violates
    their rights, we should accept that

13
  • How do we establish that women really consent? gt
    3 conditions
  • there must be something to choose between
  • free of coercion, manipulation and deception
    right of autonomy
  • mental capacities needed to reflect on their
    situation and make decisions capacity of autonomy

14
  • Autonomy in illiberal cultures?
  • Substantive autonomy content of a choice
  • Content-neutral autonomy how is the choice made?
    Under conditions of autonomy?
  • The guarantee that a woman is not deprived of her
    rights against her will, is to establish that she
    freely consents to the practice. Free consent
    means that the conditions of content-neutral
    autonomy are met.

15
  • Critique
  • Oppressive practices on children not allowed
  • How many women must consent?
  • So strict conditions, that no one can meet them
  • What should happen to those who fail to meet
    Friedmans standards of autonomy?
  • Not be listened too? Odd, given her ambition to
    pay more respect to choices of women.

16
The democrat let the women speak for themselves
  • Monique Deveaux

17
  • The basic idea who are the ones that suffer most
    from sexist traditions? It is very important, if
    we are to decide on the toleration of oppressive
    practices that those whose lives are most
    directly touched by it, are consulted
  • Expectation democratic solution to conflicts of
    culture yields more beneficial reform and has
    greater legitimacy.
  • No guarantee that this sort of procedure will
    lead to liberal, non-discriminatory outcome

18
Conditions to guarantee all will be heard
  • the principle of non-coercion
  • the political equality principle
  • the principle of revisability.

19
  • Case south African customary Marriage Act
  • apartheid had oppressed the South African peoples
    and their customary laws.
  • the patriarchy of most of the customary laws
    oppressed women, e.g. Lobolo bride price must
    be repaid if bride leaves marriage

20
  • a wide range of groups were consulted
  • open discussion, chiefs persuaded to accept
    reform
  • partial reform
  • - women have formal equal status with husbands
    (joint property rights)
  • - women can initiate divorce
  • - both parents are equally guardians of their
    children
  • - only family courts and not tribal courts may
    handle important matters of family law.
  • But there were also concessions to the chiefs
    made
  • - the customary bride price was not abolished
  • - polygyny (one husband, more wives) was
    preserved

21
  • Compromise accepted as fair and legitimate
    outcome of deliberation.
  • Price bride price and polygyny continue to exist
  • Goes with the approach open-endedness of
    outcomes necessary part of giving centrality to
    democratic participatory norms

22
Reaction Okin
  • Were the criteria for the democracy of the
    process met in this case? Chiefs not elected
    heavily overrepresented.
  • Chiefs against idea of speaking with women on an
    equal footing open dialogue?
  • Again how can we ensure that women dare to speak
    freely? Achilles heel of the democratic approach.
  • Yet Okin prefers the democratic solution over the
    liberal one. Better guarantee young women heard
    attention for context

23
Conclusion
  • If a liberal state has to decide whether or not
    to tolerate the internal practices of a minority
    group that harm the rights of women, what should
    it do?
  • The liberal answer is to balance the various
    rights, principles and interests at stake.
  • The answer of the democrat is to democratically
    discuss the matter and than accept the compromise
    that comes out of this discussion.

24
  • agree that we need to listen to minority women
    themselves
  • they often have an interest in remaining within
    their culture
  • agree that a better understanding of cultural
    context is very necessary
  • disagree that only the democratic solution can
    pay attention to context
  • there are reasons to favour and not to favour
    both kind of solution
  • last publication Susan Moller Okin
    multiculturalism and feminism no simple
    question,no simple answers
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