Feminist Perspectives on International Law

Module code: LW7067

Feminist engagement with international law is coming into its own. From the early days of Hilary Charlesworth, Christine Chinkin, and Shelley Wright’s tentative yet electrifying alchemy of international law and feminism in the early 1990s, feminists have enthusiastically taken up the implicit challenge those authors made to their colleagues to contribute to the creation of a richer and deeper understanding of the discipline. While feminist scholarship is rich in its complexity and diversity and does not represent a single unified approach to international law, feminist scholars have a shared interest in addressing discrimination and injustice. 

This module introduces you to a diverse range of feminist approaches to the study of international law. It begins with an examination of foundational feminist writings on international law, and then moves on to focus on particular areas of international law (such as international criminal law and international women’s rights), examining them from a feminist perspective. The module is well-suited to you if are interested in developing a critical approach to the study of international law.