ABSTRACT

But is the form that backlash takes the same across different historical periods and different continents? Much recent feminist theory has emphasized the significance of diversity in women’s experiences (Aaron and Walby, 1991; Barrett and Phillips, 1992; Begum, 1992; Brah, 1991; Spellman, 1988; Watt and Cook, 1991) and the difficulty of translation across historical periods (see Stanley, 1990). The postmodernist turn in feminist theory (Franklin, Lury and Stacey, 1991; Fraser and Nicholson, 1988) is modest in its claims, hesitating to generalize beyond a specific ethnic group or historical period, and focusing upon difference rather than commonality. However, this position sometimes underplays the significance of what can be learnt from the experiences of women in different times and cultures.