Women and the Public Sphere: A Critque of Sociology and Politics

First published in 1984, Women and the Public Sphere is a collection of essays which challenges the argument that a woman's sphere is private with relation to politics, and shows it to be profoundly mistaken. The authors demonstrate how all the traditions of political analysis have failed to take into account women's capacity for political action and thought, and argue for a reconstruction of political analysis which recognizes the importance of gender. The essays are written from different political perspectives, and at different points in time. They span critique and reconstruction, pinpointing problems within the traditional literature, as well as challenging its conceptual framework. This engaging volume will have strong appeal for courses in gender studies, political science and sociology.