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The Importance Of Feminist Security Theory

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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
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