Alison Assiter
Biographic Data
| ID | 375900 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Alison Assiter |
| GIVEN NAMES | Alison |
| FAMILY NAME | Assiter |
| SIGNATURE | ASSITER A |
| AFFILIATIONS | University of the West of England |
| VERIFIED | No |
| TOTAL WORKS | 20 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 21 |
| AUTHOR COUNT | 20 |
| EDITOR COUNT | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 1984 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2021 |
| H-INDEX | 3 |
Postmodern Post-feminism without Women
This article aims at showing the way in which the discursive constructivism and ethical relativism characteristic of postmodern feminism and post-feminism leads to a neo-liberal and conservative political agenda that threatens women’s sex-based rights. The article will especially focus on the thought of Paul-B Preciado as a post-feminist activist. It draws a comparison also with the work of Saba Mahmood. In such a context, we will point out the n…
Anderson on Vulnerability
Recently, feminists have begun to draw attention to the vulnerability of human beings. This theoretical perspective lies in contrast to an element of the philosophical tradition that values autonomy and freedom. I would like, in this paper, to engage with some of the work of the feminist philosopher Pamela Anderson on the notion of vulnerability. I think that Anderson’s recognition of vulnerability is important but I’d like to suggest a different…
The Feminine Subject
Debate: Response to McWherter
This contribution to a debate with Dustin McWherter evaluates his claim that Kant is a ‘non-ontologist’ or an ‘anti-ontologist’ and challenges one specific consequence which McWherter argues follows from this attribution to Kant. I argue that, while it is true that Kant restricts the domain of ‘objects’ or ‘appearances’ as he calls them to what is knowable, this does not make him an ‘anti-ontologist’
Becoming Undone: Darwinian Reflections on Life, Politics and Art
Irigaray
Speculative and Critical Realism
This is a contribution to the debate on speculative realism deriving from the book The Speculative Turn: Continental Materialism and Realism, eds Levi Bryant, Nick Srnicek and Graham Harman (Melbourne: re.press, 2011). It is also in part a response to Fabio Gironi’s review article on the subject, ‘Between naturalism and rationalism: a new realist landscape’ (Journal of Critical Realism 11(3) 2012: 361–87)
The Classic Social Contractarians: Critical Perspectives from Contemporary Feminist Philosophy and Law by Janice Richardson
Human Needs: A Realist Perspective
This article argues for a realist conception of human needs. By ‘realist’ we mean that certain fundamental needs are categorically distinct from consumer wants, holding independently of people's subjective beliefs as objective life requirements. These basic needs, we contend, are baseline measures of social justice in the sense that no society that does not prioritise their satisfaction can be legitimate. The paper concludes with a comprehensive …
Student Retention and Motivation
In the last twenty-five years there has been a significant alteration in the student experience in the UK. In the early 1980s it was rare for students either to fail to take exams or produce assignments on time or for them to fail to complete the degree they had begun. Now a significant proportion of students who start a programme of study withdraw before completion and this ‘attrition’ has become a particular problem for some universities and fo…
Beyond Identity Politics
In her book Beyond Identity Politics Moya Lloyd produces an interesting and significant argument that makes an important intervention in feminism and politics in the 21st century. I would like to argue here, however, that, whilst her analysis might fit a certain arena of the developed world (although only partially at that) it is less useful and significant for other parts of the globe and for some of the most pressing political issues that face …
Revisiting Universalism
This book begins from the premise, which it seeks to elaborate, that the poorest human being shares with the richest, a natural nature. This, it is claimed, is not the trivial thesis it is sometimes r
Feminist epistemology and value
This article discusses and develops some recent debates in feminist epistemology, by outlining the concept of an 'emancipatory value'. It outlines the optimum conditions that a 'community' of knowers must satisfy in order that its members have the best chance of producing knowledge claims. The article thus covers general ground in epistemology. The article also argues that one of the conditions that any 'emancipatory community' must satisfy is th…
Feminisms
Pornography, Feminism and the Individual
Arguing that efforts to ban pornography are ultimately doomed to failure, radical philosopher Alison Assiter takes issue with recent feminist analyses of pornography by Dworkin, Griffin and Kappeler. She demonstrates how close are the parallels between the radical feminist analysis and more conventional liberal perspectives, in their common stress on the primacy of the individual. By limiting the terms of the argument to those of patriarchy - as …
Feminist Politics and Human Nature
The Family in Political Thought
Althusser and Structuralism
Structure ', social structure' and, recently, 'structuralism ' are terms that are frequently used in sociology. Louis Althusser 's work is often mentioned as being both and Marxist. In this article I first raise, and attempt to answer, the question: 'What is structuralism?', and then I go on to argue that Althusser is not both and Marxist simultaneously. I conclude, therefore, that, at least as far as Althusser's work is concernedand his writings…
Letter
Letter
Feminist epistemology and value
This article discusses and develops some recent debates in feminist epistemology, by outlining the concept of an 'emancipatory value'. It outlines the optimum conditions that a 'community' of knowers must satisfy in order that its members have the best chance of producing knowledge claims. The article thus covers general ground in epistemology. The article also argues that one of the conditions that any 'emancipatory community' must satisfy is th…
Pornography, Feminism and the Individual
Arguing that efforts to ban pornography are ultimately doomed to failure, radical philosopher Alison Assiter takes issue with recent feminist analyses of pornography by Dworkin, Griffin and Kappeler. She demonstrates how close are the parallels between the radical feminist analysis and more conventional liberal perspectives, in their common stress on the primacy of the individual. By limiting the terms of the argument to those of patriarchy - as …
Althusser and Structuralism
Structure ', social structure' and, recently, 'structuralism ' are terms that are frequently used in sociology. Louis Althusser 's work is often mentioned as being both and Marxist. In this article I first raise, and attempt to answer, the question: 'What is structuralism?', and then I go on to argue that Althusser is not both and Marxist simultaneously. I conclude, therefore, that, at least as far as Althusser's work is concernedand his writings…
Student Retention and Motivation
In the last twenty-five years there has been a significant alteration in the student experience in the UK. In the early 1980s it was rare for students either to fail to take exams or produce assignments on time or for them to fail to complete the degree they had begun. Now a significant proportion of students who start a programme of study withdraw before completion and this ‘attrition’ has become a particular problem for some universities and fo…
Beyond Identity Politics
In her book Beyond Identity Politics Moya Lloyd produces an interesting and significant argument that makes an important intervention in feminism and politics in the 21st century. I would like to argue here, however, that, whilst her analysis might fit a certain arena of the developed world (although only partially at that) it is less useful and significant for other parts of the globe and for some of the most pressing political issues that face …
Althusser and Structuralism
Structure ', social structure' and, recently, 'structuralism ' are terms that are frequently used in sociology. Louis Althusser 's work is often mentioned as being both and Marxist. In this article I first raise, and attempt to answer, the question: 'What is structuralism?', and then I go on to argue that Althusser is not both and Marxist simultaneously. I conclude, therefore, that, at least as far as Althusser's work is concernedand his writings…
Letter
Letter
Feminist Politics and Human Nature
The Family in Political Thought
Pornography, Feminism and the Individual
Arguing that efforts to ban pornography are ultimately doomed to failure, radical philosopher Alison Assiter takes issue with recent feminist analyses of pornography by Dworkin, Griffin and Kappeler. She demonstrates how close are the parallels between the radical feminist analysis and more conventional liberal perspectives, in their common stress on the primacy of the individual. By limiting the terms of the argument to those of patriarchy - as …
Feminist epistemology and value
This article discusses and develops some recent debates in feminist epistemology, by outlining the concept of an 'emancipatory value'. It outlines the optimum conditions that a 'community' of knowers must satisfy in order that its members have the best chance of producing knowledge claims. The article thus covers general ground in epistemology. The article also argues that one of the conditions that any 'emancipatory community' must satisfy is th…
Feminisms
Revisiting Universalism
This book begins from the premise, which it seeks to elaborate, that the poorest human being shares with the richest, a natural nature. This, it is claimed, is not the trivial thesis it is sometimes r
Beyond Identity Politics
In her book Beyond Identity Politics Moya Lloyd produces an interesting and significant argument that makes an important intervention in feminism and politics in the 21st century. I would like to argue here, however, that, whilst her analysis might fit a certain arena of the developed world (although only partially at that) it is less useful and significant for other parts of the globe and for some of the most pressing political issues that face …
Human Needs: A Realist Perspective
This article argues for a realist conception of human needs. By ‘realist’ we mean that certain fundamental needs are categorically distinct from consumer wants, holding independently of people's subjective beliefs as objective life requirements. These basic needs, we contend, are baseline measures of social justice in the sense that no society that does not prioritise their satisfaction can be legitimate. The paper concludes with a comprehensive …
Student Retention and Motivation
In the last twenty-five years there has been a significant alteration in the student experience in the UK. In the early 1980s it was rare for students either to fail to take exams or produce assignments on time or for them to fail to complete the degree they had begun. Now a significant proportion of students who start a programme of study withdraw before completion and this ‘attrition’ has become a particular problem for some universities and fo…
The Classic Social Contractarians: Critical Perspectives from Contemporary Feminist Philosophy and Law by Janice Richardson
Speculative and Critical Realism
This is a contribution to the debate on speculative realism deriving from the book The Speculative Turn: Continental Materialism and Realism, eds Levi Bryant, Nick Srnicek and Graham Harman (Melbourne: re.press, 2011). It is also in part a response to Fabio Gironi’s review article on the subject, ‘Between naturalism and rationalism: a new realist landscape’ (Journal of Critical Realism 11(3) 2012: 361–87)
Debate: Response to McWherter
This contribution to a debate with Dustin McWherter evaluates his claim that Kant is a ‘non-ontologist’ or an ‘anti-ontologist’ and challenges one specific consequence which McWherter argues follows from this attribution to Kant. I argue that, while it is true that Kant restricts the domain of ‘objects’ or ‘appearances’ as he calls them to what is knowable, this does not make him an ‘anti-ontologist’
Becoming Undone: Darwinian Reflections on Life, Politics and Art
Irigaray
The Feminine Subject
Anderson on Vulnerability
Recently, feminists have begun to draw attention to the vulnerability of human beings. This theoretical perspective lies in contrast to an element of the philosophical tradition that values autonomy and freedom. I would like, in this paper, to engage with some of the work of the feminist philosopher Pamela Anderson on the notion of vulnerability. I think that Anderson’s recognition of vulnerability is important but I’d like to suggest a different…
Postmodern Post-feminism without Women
This article aims at showing the way in which the discursive constructivism and ethical relativism characteristic of postmodern feminism and post-feminism leads to a neo-liberal and conservative political agenda that threatens women’s sex-based rights. The article will especially focus on the thought of Paul-B Preciado as a post-feminist activist. It draws a comparison also with the work of Saba Mahmood. In such a context, we will point out the n…
Sociology (15 works) · Political science (12 works) · Epistemology (11 works) · Philosophy (10 works) · Law (9 works) · Gender Studies (8 works) · Feminism (7 works) · Politics (6 works) · Psychology (6 works) · Anthropology (4 works)