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Feminism, Gender, and Race

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Philosophy of Race

Part of the book series: Palgrave Philosophy Today ((PPT))

Abstract

Feminism has developed into gender studies and its focus on white middle-class women has broadened. Intersectionality as a method of analysis and basis for political action is more contextualized than identity politics, because people have multiple identities. Within philosophy, first white feminism and then African American philosophy became established. Black feminist philosophers proceed by reclaiming historical figures for philosophical analysis and inspiration, forging connections between different traditions in philosophy, and philosophizing contemporary concerns of black women. Black male philosophy is both the work of black male philosophers and a focus on the experience of black men, especially harmfully false and dangerous stereotypes. A new question of intersection arises: Who may write about whom and is the race/gender of sources important?

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Philosophy, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR, USA

    Naomi Zack

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  1. Naomi Zack
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Correspondence to Naomi Zack .

Discussion Questions

Discussion Questions

  1. 1.

    Explain a double or triple oppression experienced by black women.

  2. 2.

    How is identity politics different from the methodology of intersectionality?

  3. 3.

    Explain the identity politics in which you or people you know directly participate.

  4. 4.

    Provide some examples of intersectionality from your own experience.

  5. 5.

    How is black feminist philosophy different from black feminism?

  6. 6.

    Who do you think benefits from the demonization of black men in the United States?

  7. 7.

    How is the “unmanning” of black men related to their demonization?

  8. 8.

    Do you agree that people should be allowed to choose their gender?

  9. 9.

    Do you think that people should be allowed to choose their race? Who gets to decide and why?

  10. 10.

    Do you agree that even in matters of race and gender, philosophy should remain “cold” and “dry” in presentation? Give reasons for or against.

Glossary

ad hoc

—added or done for a specific purpose, only, and not following from a general principle previously agreed upon; arbitrary, in terms of theory.

philosophy

—inquiry and advocacy for the well-being of black women and justice for them, undertaken with the methodology of academic philosophy.

black male studies

—proposed philosophical research into the experience of black men as members of a subordinate, out-group under white-dominated patriarchal society.

black male philosophy

—philosophy by and explicitly about the experience of black men.

feminism

—thought and action about injustice toward women, with advocacy of improvement in their circumstances, based on general and specific analysis; now broadly includes gender.

gender

—umbrella term for social aspects of human sexuality, including male, female, nonbinary, heterosexual, LGBTQ.

identity politics

—group organization or identification for the sake of dealing with common problems for people with specific identities.

intersectionality

— theoretical method and description of people who experience multiple oppressions based on multiple identities.

LGBTQ

—acronym for people who identify as: Lesbian, Gay, BiSexual, Transgender, or Queer.

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Zack, N. (2018). Feminism, Gender, and Race. In: Philosophy of Race. Palgrave Philosophy Today. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-78729-9_10

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