Autonomy, Gender, Politics

Front Cover
Oxford University Press, 2003 - Philosophy - 248 pages
Women have historically been prevented from living autonomously by systematic injustice, subordination, and oppression. The lingering effects of these practices have prompted many feminists to view autonomy with suspicion. Here, Marilyn Friedman defends the ideal of feminist autonomy. In her eyes, behavior is autonomous if it accords with the wants, cares, values, or commitments that the actor has reaffirmed and is able to sustain in the face of opposition. By her account, autonomy is socially grounded yet also individualizing and sometimes socially disruptive, qualities that can be ultimately advantageous for women. Friedman applies the concept of autonomy to domains of special interest to women. She defends the importance of autonomy in romantic love, considers how social institutions should respond to women who choose to remain in abusive relationships, and argues that liberal societies should tolerate minority cultural practices that violate women's rights so long as the women in question have chosen autonomously to live according to those practices.
 

Contents

A Conception of Autonomy
3
Autonomy and Its Discontents
30
Values of Autonomy
56
Autonomy and Social Relationships Rethinking the Feminist Critique
81
Autonomy Social Disruption and Women
98
Romantic Love and Personal Autonomy
115
Domestic Violence against Women and Autonomy
140
John Rawls and the Political Coercion of Unreasonable People
163
Cultural Minorities and Womens Rights
179
Notes
205
References
231
Index
243
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About the author (2003)

Marilyn Friedman is at Washington University, St. Louis.