FEMINISM, VIOLENCE AND NONVIOLENCE: An Anthology

Examines how feminists have engaged with nonviolence as a means of addressing violence from the 1970s to the 2000s. Features seminal essays, articles, pamphlets, flyers and excerpts from books of feminist thought by feminists and their allies, some of which are vitally important but difficult to find. Covers programmatic statements on the power of nonviolence and the goals of women’s liberation, discussions about sexual harassment and assault, dialogues on the relationship between sexism and war, and critical essays on the often unseen structural forms of violence that shape women’s lives through racism and the destruction of the earth. Foregrounds contentious debates and intimate reflections on the failures and limits of nonviolence to uplift and protect the lives of women. Reflects on the continued relevance of the insights gained from the collected texts for today’s feminist and nonviolent movements. Includes section overviews, author biographies, and discussion questions, making this reader and essential resource for students of gendered and sexualised peace, violence and justice. What can nonviolence offer to feminists working to end violence against women? Can nonviolence be used by women to protect themselves from street and work harassment, from partner battering, date rape and sexual assault? What are the connections between war and sexism, and how should nonviolent activists address them? How should feminists confront the structural violence of racism, xenophobia, colonialism, land displacement and environmental destruction? Feminism, Violence and Nonviolence features a carefully curated selection of seminal texts originally published from the 1970s to the 2000s, which document dynamic feminist thinking on the root causes of violence, the social forces inculcating violence into patriarchal institutions and relationships, and the many insights that nonviolence can gain from a feminist perspective. This collection of essays, articles, pamphlets, flyers and excerpts from books of feminist thought brings together the voices of the women and men who helped to transform movement consciousness on issues of sexism, racism, colonialism and a broader array of ‘otherisms’, expanding and diversifying nonviolent philosophy. With a sociological and historical introduction to the movement, and author and organisational biographies, this is an essential resource for students of gendered and sexualised peace, violence and justice.