Does the Thought Really Count? Why Feminism Demands More Than Consciousness-Raising

• In Event: 33.078 - Roundtable Session 11
  In Roundtable Session: 33.078-20 - Gendered Constructions and New Perspectives of Female Leadership

Abstract

Since its inception, one of the driving forces behind the feminist movement has been the project of consciousness-raising. However, if the point of feminism is to effect change in society for the betterment of the status of women, and indeed, I do not know of a feminist that would contend otherwise, then it seems to follow that consciousness-raising must necessarily lead to action. This paper seeks to challenge the assumption embedded in some feminist writings which claims that a critical consciousness alone can suffice as the terminus of feminist responsibility by asking, “What is consciousness raising good for?;” “What are the demands of a raised consciousness?”

Author

• Morgan Anderson, Georgia State University