Feminism for the 99%? A critical approach to Social Reproduction Theory
Introduced by socialist LGBTI activist and co-founder of Safe Schools, Roz Ward.
This session will discuss the recent revival of debates that began in the 1970s and continue today between feminists and marxists about the reproduction of society and the relationship between female dominated ‘domestic’ labour and capitalist production. These debates are centred around a body of scholarly work known as ‘Social Reproduction Theory’ or SRT. The short book published last year - Feminism for the 99% A Manifesto written by Cinzia Arruzza, Tithi Bhattacharya and Nancy Fraser condenses an academic ‘Marxist feminist’ perspective that draws on SRT. This session offers a critique of this work and will argue that Marxism (for the 99%) presents a more useful explanation of social reproduction and an analytical method for not just understanding women’s oppression but also creating a system free from all forms of oppression.
Readings
Feminism for the 99% A Manifesto by Cinzia Arruzza, Tithi Bhattacharya and Nancy Fraser
Mapping Social Reproduction Theory by Tithi Bhattacharya
https://www.versobooks.com/blogs/3555-mapping-social-reproduction-theory
Marxism and women’s liberation by Louise O’Shea
https://marxistleftreview.org/articles/marxism-and-womens-liberation/
The origins of women’s oppression – a defence of Engels and a new departure
Social reproduction theory: back to (which) Marx? by Sheila McGregor