ABSTRACT
Looking at the theoretical discussion of the ‘women question’ in the last thirty years we can broadly distinguish between three perspectives: liberal feminism, ‘social feminism’ and an approach influenced by post-modern theory (Farganis 1994). The proponents of liberal feminism were concerned with gender equity. Rejecting the notion that inequalities are established by nature, they struggled to desanctify the family and motherhood and to deconstruct ideas of essential gender differences (for example Mitchell 1971). Proponents of ‘social feminism’ want to rescue certain values connected with ‘maternal thinking’ from deconstruction (Ruddick 1980; Elsthain 1982). Social feminism tries to transplant ideals and habits of caring to the public sphere, and to implement them in the political and popular consciousness of our societies.
