Question

Write a note on how feminists approach the issue of citizenship in about 250 words

Answer 1

In recent years a lot has been written about citizenship and its connection to women, gender and feminism. A range of different perspectives have emerged due to it. When the gendered character of citizenship was identified, feminists developed many different approaches towards engendering of citizenship. These can be put in three broader categories which have been presented by Ruth Lister as gender-neutral citizen, the gender-differentiated citizen and gender-pluralist citizen.

Pateman connects citizenship to identity issues. She strongly proclaims that women must be recognized as women. The only way for women to achieve full citizenship is to recognize individuality and sexual identities as feminine and masculine human being. She proposed a sexually differentiated conception of citizenship that would recognize women as possible solution to patriarchy in society.When women are seen as women it would give political significance to the capacity that men lack, to create life, meaning motherhood and it should be granted equal political relevance for defining citizenship juxtaposed with the ultimate test of citizenship, a man's willingness to go to war and die for the country.

Young belong to those feminists who believe that alternative models of citizenship which privilege 'female tasks' such as caring work or motherhood exclude some women and other groups with differences or disabilities. For her citizenship requires the developments of a theory grounded not on the assumption of an undifferentiated humanity but rather on the assumption that there are group differences and some groups are actually or potentially disadvantaged. In Young's view there are two key meanings attached to universal citizenship. Firstly, universality is defined according to what citizens have in common as opposed to how they differ. Secondly, universality presupposes the laws and rules apply to everyone equally and are therefore, blind to individuality and group differences.

Mouffe maintains that social, cultural, psychological and political dimensions of citizenship consist in identifying with the ethico-political principles of modern democracy. She wants a common political identity on a framework for enabling actions and representation, an equal treatment of different identities. Her definition lies in theoretical challenge, her goal is to separate liberal democracy from capitalism and liberal individualism. She stresses to seek for a new definition of citizenship that is appropriate to radical plural democracy. She proposes that we should combine the best aspects of the liberalist/communitarian debate.
As a modernist Hekman suggests we should combine the best aspects of the liberalism/communitarian debate to search for a new definition of citizenship. She expresses that liberalism makes little sense without the postmodern redefinition of citizenship.

As a conclusion we can say that they want a more women-friendly and gender-inclusive citizenship. They also agree that questions regarding power is one cause that lies behind the marginalization of women. However the question whether citizenship needs to be reconstructed or not is a question one must cope with carefully.