ABSTRACT
Beliefs about gender, what it means to be a “real” man or a “real” woman are clearly evident in the general’s words. Such beliefs are commonplace in international relations and find their way in through images, metaphors, and symbols of masculinity, femininity, and sexuality. A crucial point of difference between the two revolved around the centrality of the traditional subject of feminism—woman—leading many modernist feminists to accuse postmodernist feminisms of being incapable of politics. Engendering the study and practice of international relations is often linked by feminists to the modernist feminist project of eventually achieving the equality and liberation of women. The presence of female state leaders can expose both the centrality of women in international relations and the uneasiness and ambiguity surrounding issues of gender. The chapter also presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in this book.
