Abstract
The Future of Feminism sets out to challenge the common lament of the demise of feminism by academics, activists and others. It is uplifting to read a book on feminism that doesn’t focus solely on the challenges, incommensurabilities and potential downfall of feminist projects and ideologies. Sylvia Walby is the UNESCO Chair for Gender Research and Professor of Sociology at Lancaster University, and has an international development background as well as expertise in political sociology. She is active in gender policy research networks operating within the European Union and United Nations. Walby challenges the assertion of feminism’s death by taking the pragmatic angle of including projects and programmes that focus on ‘gender equality’ or somehow incorporate gender equality as one of their tenets as part of ‘feminism’. This allows her to conceptualise feminism much more broadly than many analyses that rely on self-identification with feminist causes. Walby identifies feminist projects in civil society (non-governmental organisations), specific government equality units, and as part of transnational networks and organisations. She sees an engagement between civil society groups and governmental departments or transnational or global organisations such as the European Union or the United Nations as the way forward for feminism. This approach might not appeal to those who see feminism as a project of resistance to power and challenge from the outside.
The Future of Feminism discusses the benefits of gender mainstreaming (the incorporation of a gendered analysis into other political projects). While the feminist message might be lost among other aspects of projects, or watered down to become more compatible with ‘mainstream’ objectives, Walby thinks that, if done well, gender mainstreaming can improve other political projects – but there needs to be an engagement with governing bodies as well as the maintenance of separate gender specialists.
Feminist projects’ intersections with other political projects is another issue that Walby explores. While a separate chapter is dedicated to ‘Feminist Intersections’, intersections and gender mainstreaming pose quite similar problems including the potential loss of feminist goals. Walby examines alliances and networks among groups working in interconnected areas, such as human rights, environmentalism, anti-racism and social democracy. Within such alliances, groups need to negotiate aims and goals, as members of different social movements have different priorities.
Walby engages with what is often seen to be the problem at the heart of feminism: ‘equality’ versus ‘difference’. She comes out in favour of ‘transformation’ rather than either option and it would have been good to have a much clearer indication of how such transformation would take place. This book covers many themes with much brevity, and the writing style is clear and concise, yet in some places the reader is left wanting more details.
While this book is entitled The Future of Feminism, it might equally be titled The Future of Social Democracy, as feminism’s engagement with neoliberalism and social democracy form a key focus. And in the end, its incorporation into and engagement with social democracy is, according to Walby, what will save feminism. As a clear proponent of social democratic governance, Walby does tend to occasionally caricature other positions. Although I was often in agreement with Walby regarding the damaging effects of neoliberalism, I do think she could have sketched opposing positions a little less damningly. The way forward for feminism depends on how feminism aligns with future political contexts, and this depends on which country or countries are in a powerful position in the future. Some contexts, according to Walby are quite hostile to feminism. Neoliberalism is such a hostile context, as democracy is reduced and the kinds of public programmes and social spending that Walby advocates are cut. This affects women disproportionately.
After establishing a definition of feminism and detailing key theoretical debates, the state of current feminist projects and the players, Walby sets out to determine what feminism may become. This seems to be the real strength of the book. The current context of feminism that Walby outlines is a very important contribution to feminist debates. She engages with the challenges for feminism and feminist projects in the current economic, political and social climate. The analysis of the impact of climate change on feminism, along with the gendered impacts of the global financial crisis, is very interesting. The book does not shy away from potentially calamitous outcomes, such as war or environmental disaster.
While relatively short, this book is certainly comprehensive. It is written in a very clear and very succinct style. The first few chapters detail the major theoretical impasses facing feminism and proffer some solutions. As much of this is background knowledge for those in gender studies, or feminist philosophy or social theory, this book would be best used for reference or as a textbook for undergraduate level classes. It would also be useful for those wanting to refresh their knowledge of feminist and gender issues as it provides a clear overview. It would also serve as a good introductory text for those outside of this area.