Fractious holism: the complex relationship between women and war

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Date
2002
Authors
Hudson, Heidi
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
University of the Free State
Abstract
English: Feminists have agreed to disagree on the interaction between women and war. This is elucidated by means of a critical assessment of the various positions of feminists regarding comprehensive human security in general and military security in particular. It is argued that a feminist perspective has the potential to raise consciousness and contextualise women’s insecurity by employing gender as a principle of social organisation. This argument is supported by the contention that the relationship between women and war may be characterised as a fractious holism dominated by difference and multiplicity rather than harmony and stability. Such an imperfect holism gives rise to a plurality of ambiguities and complexities in relation to globalisation, militarism, combat and the broadly conceptualised notion of gender violence.
Afrikaans: Feministe verskil onderling oor die interaksie tussen vroue en oorlog. Dit word onder die soeklig geplaas by wyse van ’n kritiese ontleding van die gedifferensieerde feministiese standpunte rakende omvattende menslike sekuriteit in die algemeen en militêre veiligheid in die besonder. Dit word aangevoer dat die feministiese perspektief oor die potensiaal beskik om, deur middel van gender as ’n kategorie van ontleding, groter bewussyn rondom die onveiligheid van vroue te bevorder. Die argument word gerugsteun deur die standpunt dat die verhouding tussen vroue en oorlog ’n gefragmenteerde holisme verteenwoordig, waar verskille en veelvuldigheid eerder as harmonie en stabiliteit heers. ’n Onperfekte holisme lei tot ’n veelvoud van dubbelsinnighede en ingewikkeldhede met betrekking tot globalisering, militarisme, vegtery en die breë begrip geslagtelike geweld.
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Keywords
Feminists, Women and war, Gender, Fractious holism, Gender violence
Citation
Hudson, H. (2002). Fractious holism: the complex relationship between women and war. Acta Academica, Supplement,(1), 113-146.