CounterHegemony 14 - Germaine Greer on Global Feminism
Download it directly
or subscribe to the podcast by pasting this URL into your podcatcher software (itunes, ipodder, etc.) : http://counterhegemony.libsyn.org/rss
I'm going to be taking a few weeks off over the holidays, so expect another CounterHegemony Podcast in early 2006.
In this show, though, I take further advantage of the Pacifica Radio Archive's treasures by presenting a 20 minute speech by renowned feminist Germaine Greer. She talks first about how she thinks of contemporary feminism as still in the development stages, without a coherent definition, but rather trying to figure out what that definition might be. In the global context? With what aims or goals?
I think her discussion of difference is quite interesting, since I think it addresses this 'values' talk we hear and speak today. She observes that feminism's 'equality' goal is acted on by patriarchal society either through rejection ('no, women are inferior') or through over-precision ('Equality? Sure! Men are great so if all women just act like men and get treated the same, we should be good, right?'). Her problem with this dichotomy is that women are different from men - in the sense that you can't simply ignore all of the biological, sociological, or psychological differences that exist. She argues that 'difference' is something to understand, respect, and achieve. For example, women shouldn't have to prove they can do it just like men do in order to achieve success (given examples: Margaret Thatcher, Madeleine Albright), rather they could very well bring different markers and methods to the very definition of success.
I hope its a worthwhile listen for ya. In terms of production - I should have left a longer space between the end of her speech and my closing remarks - she ends with a quite profound and contemplative statemement and not 2 seconds later do I come back with "Blah! Blah! Blah!" Sorry about that.
I'm thinking about running a series on different major threads of the social justice movement. This would be one of many - environmentalism, black power, labor rights... If you'd like to help shape any of this, either by suggesting or providing content or analysis, or simple suggestions, don't hesitate to contact me.
Happy Holidays.
Music:
Cannonball, The Breeders
Brand New Dub, Roots Manuva
Golden Rain, The Art of Trance
Summer 78 (Instrumental), Yann Tiersen
Snowflakes, Pizzicato Five
or subscribe to the podcast by pasting this URL into your podcatcher software (itunes, ipodder, etc.) : http://counterhegemony.libsyn.org/rss
I'm going to be taking a few weeks off over the holidays, so expect another CounterHegemony Podcast in early 2006.
In this show, though, I take further advantage of the Pacifica Radio Archive's treasures by presenting a 20 minute speech by renowned feminist Germaine Greer. She talks first about how she thinks of contemporary feminism as still in the development stages, without a coherent definition, but rather trying to figure out what that definition might be. In the global context? With what aims or goals?
I think her discussion of difference is quite interesting, since I think it addresses this 'values' talk we hear and speak today. She observes that feminism's 'equality' goal is acted on by patriarchal society either through rejection ('no, women are inferior') or through over-precision ('Equality? Sure! Men are great so if all women just act like men and get treated the same, we should be good, right?'). Her problem with this dichotomy is that women are different from men - in the sense that you can't simply ignore all of the biological, sociological, or psychological differences that exist. She argues that 'difference' is something to understand, respect, and achieve. For example, women shouldn't have to prove they can do it just like men do in order to achieve success (given examples: Margaret Thatcher, Madeleine Albright), rather they could very well bring different markers and methods to the very definition of success.
I hope its a worthwhile listen for ya. In terms of production - I should have left a longer space between the end of her speech and my closing remarks - she ends with a quite profound and contemplative statemement and not 2 seconds later do I come back with "Blah! Blah! Blah!" Sorry about that.
I'm thinking about running a series on different major threads of the social justice movement. This would be one of many - environmentalism, black power, labor rights... If you'd like to help shape any of this, either by suggesting or providing content or analysis, or simple suggestions, don't hesitate to contact me.
Happy Holidays.
Music:
Cannonball, The Breeders
Brand New Dub, Roots Manuva
Golden Rain, The Art of Trance
Summer 78 (Instrumental), Yann Tiersen
Snowflakes, Pizzicato Five
posted by Dan at 11:07
1 Comments:
Yes, Greer makes some good points but the there are some more distinctions as well, relating feminism to pluralism and social change but also the need to define the mechanisms of that change. In the US we have a dilemma because the tendency of the liberal movement is to view government as the vehicle of justice, law as mechanations for equity. The dilemma in this is that the government is as corropt as the corporate world, and can not be trusted as a conduit of the movement. I have a post on one of my blogs on this issue today after a discussion of contraception and regulation as remedy. Key to our goals must be an element of movemement self reliance.
Post a Comment
<< Home