Parite! : sexual equality and the crisis of French universalism / Joan Wallach Scott.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Scott, Joan Wallach.

Series:

Chicago studies in practices of meaning.

Chicago studies in practices of meaning

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Women--Political activity--France.

Women.

Women political candidates--France.

Women political candidates.

Equality--France.

Equality.

Feminism--France.

Feminism.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (203 p.)

Edition:

1st ed.

Place of Publication:

Chicago : University of Chicago Press, 2005.

Language Note:

English

Summary:

France today is in the throes of a crisis about whether to represent social differences within its political system and, if so, how. It is a crisis defined by the rhetoric of a universalism that takes the abstract individual to be the representative not only of citizens but also of the nation. In Parité! Joan Wallach Scott shows how the requirement for abstraction has led to the exclusion of women from French politics. During the 1990's, le mouvement pour la parité successfully campaigned for women's inclusion in elective office with an argument that is unprecedented in the annals of feminism. The paritaristes insisted that if the abstract individual were thought of as sexed, then sexual difference would no longer be a relevant consideration in politics. Scott insists that this argument was neither essentialist nor separatist; it was not about women's special qualities or interests. Instead, parité was rigorously universalist-and for that reason was both misunderstood and a source of heated debate.

Contents:

Front matter

Contents

Acknowledgments

Introduction

Chapter One. The Crisis of Representation

Chapter Two. The Rejection of Quotas

Chapter Three. The Dilemma of Difference

Chapter Four. The Campaign for Parité

Chapter Five. The Discourse of the Couple

Chapter Six. The Power of the Law

Conclusion

Notes

Index

Notes:

Description based upon print version of record.

Includes bibliographical references (p. [153]-182) and index.

ISBN:

9786611126063

9781281126061

1281126063

9780226741093

0226741095

OCLC:

476228868