Feminism Is Back in France—Or Is It?

Abstract

Edited by Penelope DeutscherMickle Le Dceuff discusses the revival of feminism in France, including the phenomenon of state-sponsored feminism, such as government support for "parity": equal numbers of women and men in government. Le Dceuffanalyzes the strategically patchy application of this revivaland remains wary about it. Turning to the work of seventeenth-century philosopher Gabrielk Suchon, Le Dceuff considers her concepts offreedom, servitude, and active citizenship, which may well, she argues, have influemzedJean-Jacques Rousseau. Le Dceufffavorably juxtaposes the active citizenship defended by Suchon with the kind of citizenship implicitly supported by recent French government feminism.