Sara Ruddick’s Maternal Thinking as weaving epistemology for justpeace

Abstract

How is it possible to create more just forms of peace in our world? This article responds to calls for a feminist theory/peace studies collaboration by integrating work on feminist care ethics and conflict transformation. We propose that justpeace is possible by strengthening ways of knowing which sustainably weave together understandings of "self" and "other" to support relationships of care over dehumanization and violence. Building on Sara Ruddick's work, we argue that her "maternal thinking" can be understood as a feminist "weaving" epistemology or flexible way of knowing that promotes meaningful inclusion, symmetrical power relations, and positive peace through three major practices: (1) living with dissonance, (2) creatively overcoming disconnects between the interests of the self and the other, and (3) bridging practical goals for surviving the present with more idealistic goals for best practices in the future. As such, it provides an alternative to "othering" practices at individual, national, and international levels which reinforce asymmetrical power relations, strengthen unjust social, economic and political structures, and support violent conflict. In conclusion, we illustrate how this weaving epistemology supports human rights practices promoting people over profit, equality over discrimination and violence, and restorative rather than retributive forms of conflict transformation.

Care Ethics and Paternalism: A Beauvoirian Approach

“…Due to these risks, the caring action should always be decided in an ongoing conversation with the one cared-for. The focus in care ethics on the extraordinary challenge of decentering the self so as to try and center the other and moving from a care-giver/cared-for framing to a relational one shows that care ethicists are aware of these problems arising in care practices [35,[71][72][73].…”

Not a care in the world: an exploration of the personal–professional–political nexus of international development practitioners working in security and justice sector reform

“…Feminist care and peace theorists have also often argued that "practices of care give rise to distinct moral and political thinking, which derives from the existential fact of human vulnerability and relatedness, and the capacity to recognise and respond to the needs of others" (Vaittinen, Donahoe, Kunz, Ómarsdóttir and Roohi 2019, 197; see also Ruddick 1990;Confortini and Ruane 2014). This is echoed in the tendency of our interviewees to make sense of their (restricted) choices through critique of the choices of others -those who do not seek 'healthy' relationships do well professionally but lack something important in terms of character or experience.…”

“…This is not to argue that people without children cannot be empathetic or, as the feminist literature on care would suggest, that people without formal caring responsibilities cannot be caring or engage in care practices (see Vaittinen, Donahoe, Kunz, Ómarsdóttir and Roohi 2019). We are arguing, however, that care work (or 'maternal practice') can give rise to different ways of thinking and being (Ruddick 1990), and also that these different ways of thinking and being can positively contribute to peacebuilding (Confortini and Ruane 2014;Vaittinen, Donahoe, Kunz, Ómarsdóttir and Roohi 2019). We also argue that organisations which do not 'care' for their employees by supporting their reproductive work and enabling them to continue working once they have children, contribute to the divide between internationals and locals (Autesserre 2014), simultaneously reaffirming their differences and sending a message about what the organisation values and does not value.…”

Living with an Infected Planet: COVID-19, Feminism, and the Global Frontline of Care. Elke Krasny. Bielefeld, Germany: Transcript Verlag (ISBN 978-3-8394-5915-7)

“…She argues that care offers an alternative to dominant, rational practices of "indifference and assault" (Ruddick 1995, xi) and is antithetical to war, militarism, and violence (e.g. Bailey 1994;Confortini and Ruane 2013).…”