In What Are We Fighting For? Joanna Russ argues strongly against the shift in contemporary feminist theory - from the direct political struggle of the 1960s and '70s to a depoliticized focus on women's psychology and personal relations. Irreverent and rich with insight, this book connects the feminist movement to struggles for racial and class equality as it traces the highlights and low points of feminist thinking in the past twenty-five years on a range of issues: the parallels between the current state of feminism and the setbacks in American and English feminism after World War I; why feminism must accept the leadership of women of color; and the necessity of socialist and feminist theory, despite traditional clashes between feminists and the Left. What Are We Fighting For? will help feminists and their allies connect the issues, build coalitions, and revive the movement's radical spirit.
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Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com Review
It has become fashionable for younger feminists, known as the "Third Wave," to consider themselves beyond the battles of the women's movement of the 60's and 70's. Who better than a lively, long-standing feminist to remind them, with wit and passion, of how much more there is to be done?
In chapters such as "Mommy, Where do Baby Theories Come From?" and "I Thee Wed, So Watch It," feminist critic and science fiction novelist Joanna Russ questions the recent feminist shift in focus from politics to psychological issues. Russ addresses the place of women of color, lesbians, separatists, and socialists in the modern feminist movement, and offers practical suggestions for how women can get back to the real feminist fight. One strength of the book for those who want to fill in the gaps in their knowledge of feminist history is that Russ is extremely well-read in her subject, and taken to extensively quoting the arguments and theories of other feminist thinkers. She has also included an enormous bibliography of books and pamphlets for further reading.Russ is both sassy and well-informed--just the kind of woman from whom a 90's feminist might take some lessons. --Maria Dolan
From Kirkus Reviews
This ungainly book constitutes Russ's personal canon of classic radical feminist ideas of the 1970s and '80s that are most worth rescuing from small-press and pamphleteering obscurity for use as a basis for recharging the women's movement. Best known as a Nebula Awardwinning author of science fiction (notably The Female Man, not reviewed), Russ is also a pioneering teacher in women's studies and a feminist critic (How to Suppress Women's Writing, 1983). She is totally exasperated by the development of an academic feminism that has lured too many of her students into following a mainstream careerist model rather than dedicate themselves as rebel outsiders to the pursuit of liberating truth. The perspectives of socialist feminism in early Barbara Ehrenreich and Ann Oakley, the insights of lesbian feminists like Cherie Moraga and Adrienne Rich, and the righteous oppositional stance of women of color theorists like Barbara Smith and Gloria Joseph are what Russ reclaims and seeks to propagate. She criticizes the emphasis on the special psychology of women by theorists like Dorothy Dinnerstein, Nancy Chodorow, and Carol Gilligan for displacing our focus from the psychology of oppression. Her energetic exploration of the complex, paradoxical ways that the interdependent systems of capitalism and patriarchy oppress women and benefit men has its compelling moments. But as Russ spins her web of ideas, she is given to asides, digressions, and burying interesting insights in long footnotes and supplementary chapters mischieviously labeled ``Leftovers.'' There's a lack of pretension and a spirited commitment here that's appealing, but the self-indulgent presentation isn't likely to make new converts. Still, hardy veterans of the feminist wars may find this useful as a refresher course in the bolder feminist ideas of the '70s and '80s and will be moved not only to murmur ``Right on, sister,'' but also to an occasional hoot. -- Copyright ©1997, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.
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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent survey of these connected issues,
This review is from: What Are We Fighting For?: Sex, Race, Class, and the Future of Feminism (Hardcover)
If you are looking for an introduction to the feminist theory because you didn't get any in high school (or college, for that matter) this book is a great place to start. This book is really, really readable. I normally don't call such academically founded texts page turners, but this one is. I could not put it down. Russ makes several vital connections between the problems of sex, race, class and sexual orientation, and shows you how she arrives at her conclusions regarding these connections. I had fun reading the book, but I was shocked at my personal ignorance on so many of the topics. It was certainly eye opening. Kudos to the author.I would also add that you should make sure to read all the endnotes; they're every bit as good as the text itself.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
One of the most important books on feminism ever written!,
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This review is from: What Are We Fighting For?: Sex, Race, Class, and the Future of Feminism (Hardcover)
This is a must read for anyone interested in feminism and the prospect for social change and women's liberation. Joanna Russ is more than thorough in her analysis of the current wave of reactionary feminism. She asserts that those who are active in this "wave" are primarily interested in personal beliefs, opinions and relationships instead of political analysis and action. She clearly articulates how the current mass reaction in the feminist movement has essentially reduced feminism into lifestyle and personal aggrandizement devoid of political and economic analysis, agenda and impact. Russ'work illustrates that what has been lost is the understanding that feminism is an impetus to the radical reordering of society through socially conscious political struggle. She challenges those interested in women's rights to examine (or reexamine) and analyze the roots of women's oppression with a socially conscious perspective and all those claiming to be feminists to develop a political agenda based on the reality of the relationship of forces and to immediately end their support of patriarchy. If nothing else, the bibliography of this book is a shining model for every feminist's bookshelf.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Inspiring and well-researched,
By anibooga@AOL.com (Milwaukke, WI) - See all my reviews
This review is from: What Are We Fighting For?: Sex, Race, Class, and the Future of Feminism (Hardcover)
Having read other works my Ms. Russ, I was excited to read her new book, What are We Fighting For? As a feminist of the 90's, I have been frusterated by the lack of writings and clarity of direction for the young feminist of today. Russ does a good job explaining the roots of the movement from the 60's and 70's and those influential people who's writings defined these times. I do wish her bibliography had included current works of the 90's or references to current forms of feminism. Overall this is an inspiring and well-researched work that elequently brings many important issues to the forefront.
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