Martha Chamallas has updated her invaluable text Introduction to Feminist Legal Theory. Here is the publisher’s description of the new edition:
Widely respected as a leading text in the field, Introduction to Feminist Legal Theory (3d ed. 2012) spans the range of legal issues relating to women and gender, including extensive new treatment of critical race theory and LGBT scholarship. Balancing contemporary topics with historical context, author Martha Chamallas presents an accessible and incisive survey of topics such as sex-based discrimination and sexual stereotyping, sexual harassment, rape, domestic violence, abortion, Title IX, and more. The book thoroughly reviews the evolving paradigms of contemporary feminism from the 1970s through the present and examines backlash forces and major critiques of feminist legal theory.
Updated throughout, the Third Edition features a theory-based structure to include recent entries to the field, such as intersectional feminism, sex-positive feminism and masculinities theory. New applied areas are covered as well, with sections on reproductive justice, marriage equality, transgender legal issues and sex trafficking. While the book remains U.S.-focused, important new material on global and comparative feminism has been added.
Here’s an endorsement from Deborah Brake (Pittsburgh):
“No one better illuminates the richness and continuing relevance of feminist legal theory than Martha Chamallas. At a time when simplistic accounts of gender dominate conventional wisdom (think “the end of men” and the “op-out revolution” that wasn’t), Chamallas’ insight into the complex relationships of women, men, and gender, and the role of law in constructing and regulating them, is more pertinent than ever. The new edition of Introduction to Feminist Legal Theory is perfect for classroom use, providing solid grounding in the basics in a way that makes the concepts accessible and engaging to students. At the same time, it is foundational in the field, a must-read for legal scholars, whether they are visitors to the field of legal feminism or dwell in its domain.”
Time to update the bookshelf!
-Bridget Crawford
