The Importance Of Feminist Security Theory

1302 Words6 Pages
This study is underpinned by the Feminist Security Theory (FST) which postulates the need to involve both genders in peace and security issues . FST emerged from a cross-ideological, trans-epistemological, multi-voiced conversational debate among multiple feminisms, including liberal, empiricist, modified standpoint, and qualified postmodern perspectives, among others . Historically, feminism has been concerned with the unequal status of women and so has tended to view gender in terms of unequal social relations that exists between men and women . Feminist security is a field within security studies which draws attention to gendered dimensions of security . Gender issues have an important place in the international security landscape, but have been neglected both in theory and practice of international security . It is important to emphasize that conflicts affect men and women differently. FST thus looks at security from an everyday experience, culture and customs of people . Such an approach helps to understand the vulnerable in society and contributes to understanding security from a different perspective .
Security in general has been the preserve of the elites in society such as statesmen, diplomats, and the military to the detriment of gender considerations . Within International Relations (IR), traditional security revolves around warfare, peace, state autonomy and self interest of nation-states with emphasis on military might . Ann Tickner thus describes