Women Political Theorists

Where are all the women in the history of political thought? Some thinkers we explore throughout history include Mary Astell, Mary Wollstonecraft, Harriet Taylor Mill, and Emma Goldman. Their work will prepare us to discuss the political and social thought of three prominent women thinkers of the 20th century: Simone de Beauvoir, Iris Murdoch, and Hannah Arendt. We investigate questions concerning freedom and contingency, responsibility, the nature of self in relation to others, and the limits and scope of ethical action in the work of these theorists. Women political theorists often write novels, short stories, and autobiography/biography (rather than philosophical texts) to explore political and philosophical themes. Consequently, we will be reading novels and autobiography along with political philosophy to think about the relationship between philosophy, politics, and literature. We will also be interested in considering how living their lives as women might have influenced the way these philosophers viewed major political and intellectual issues of the day.