ABSTRACT
This chapter traces some key contributions of feminist theorists to the international relations (IR) discipline, particularly addressing the silences of women's voices and experiences from the mainstream literature. It highlights unique features of feminist IR theory, such as the use of a gender-lens to reveal gendered inequalities in international politics, and the emphasis on the importance of everyday experiences, reflexive practices, and plural forms of knowledge that realist versions of IR neglect. The chapter shows how feminist ethical theorists utilize the gender-lens to pay close attention to context, particularities, relationships, and diverse differences in explaining the ethical responsibilities that exist within IR. It explains different theories of a feminist ethics of care and justice to show that the motivations differ from traditional IR theory in seeking to minimize harm and respond in compassionate ways to injustices and suffering, and accepting the responsibilities to care. The chapter reveals how practical ethical concerns are interwoven into feminist IR theory in interdisciplinary ways.
