Academic Essays

Contrast: Feminist & Realist Theory in International Relations

There are five types of Feminist theory discussed— liberal, Marxist, standpoint, postmodern, and post-colonial— and, although they are all diverse, each analyzes how gender both affects world politics and is an effect of world politics. Feminist theory is the extension of feminism (the idea that women and men are equal) into theoretical fields, like international relations. Feminist theory asks questions like "where are the women in power?" and "what systems restricted women from playing roles that are critically important to the functioning of things?"

Feminists believe that gender is an important analytical tool for understanding global power relations, which contrasts the Realist theory that excludes gender in favor of a more broad interpretation of the main state actors. Realist theory claims to explain the reality of international relations by assuming the Hobbesian interpretation of humanity. Realism's basic principles are: the absence of authority makes international relations chaotic, sovereign states are the main actors in global politics, states prioritize their survival, and power defines relationships. After idealists failed to analyze politics in World War One, realism gained popularity and is now the most dominant school of thought in international relations today. They believe that the highest goal is the security of the state, which they argue must be achieved through a strong military and nationalism.

An example of divergence between Realist and Feminist theories is in their differing interpretations of the Greenham Common Women's Peace Camps, a series of protests against the establishment of nuclear weapons in Berkshire, England. Feminist scholars challenged the Realist notion that state negotiations between the United States and the United Kingdom were merely a matter of military security and diplomacy as the presence of these nuclear weapons did not make them feel safe. Greenham women transformed the meaning of public security by proving how easy it was to penetrate a military base through cutting fences and dancing on missile silos. The female interpretation and resistance against the move to house nuclear weapons in their backyard show how women's unique perspective is critical in international relations as it dilutes the machismo, realist theory that the highest goal is the security of the state through military action.