Feminist Understandings of War

Feminism is defined differently by many scholars, but in general, it can be defined as actions or analyses that aim to achieve equality for women in all spheres of society. Since war is such a pervasive part of human society, feminism is a useful lens through which to view war and conflict theories. Feminism looks at the experiences of women as a socially constructed category and views war as a result of patriarchal structures that favor male power and domination over women. It also calls into question the traditional roles of men and women, as dictated by the assignment of masculine to men and feminine to women. As such, feminist analyses of war and international security involve both theoretical approaches, such as pointing out the ...