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APA Newsletters Volume 04, Number 1 Fall 2004 NEWSLETTER ON FEMINISM AND PHILOSOPHY FROM THE EDITOR, SALLY J. SCHOLZ NEWS FROM THE COMMITTEE ON THE STATUS OF WOMEN, ROSIE TONG ARTICLES JOAN GIBSON “Philosophical Women of Early Modern Iberia” AMY OLIVER “Public Philosophy and Feminist Gain in South America” JANE DURAN “Chicana Feminisms and Lived Theory” REVIEW ESSAY Gloria Anzaldúa and AnaLouise Keating (eds.): Anzaldúa and the ‘Bridge’ as Home: Healing the Ruptures of Reason: This Bridge We Call Home: Radical Visions For Transformation REVIEWED BY VIKI SOADY REVIEWS Jane Duran: Worlds of Knowing: Global Feminist Epistemologies REVIEWED BY CATHERINE HUNDLEBY Eva Feder Kittay and Ellen Feder (eds.): The Subject of Care: Feminist Perspectives on Dependency REVIEWED BY LUCINDA PEACH CONTRIBUTORS ANNOUNCEMENTS © 2004 by The American Philosophical Association ISSN: 1067-9464 APA NEWSLETTER ON Feminism and Philosophy Sally J. Scholz, Editor Fall 2004 Volume 04, Number 1 and the contributions to the two Bridge volumes demonstrate FROM THE EDITOR both the hazards of the old view and the potential of the new. This issue of the Newsletter is rounded out with two compelling book reviews. The first is a review of Jane Duran’s Worlds of Knowing: Global Feminist Epistemologies by This issue of the Newsletter highlights the varying contributions Catherine Hundleby. Like Anzaldúa, Duran has outlined a new of Iberian, Latina, Hispanic, and Chicana feminist philosophers epistemological project that considers the lived experiences and might profitably be read together with the APA Newsletter of women throughout the world—including women from on Hispanic/Latino Issues in Philosophy edited by Eduardo Mexico and Latin America. Hundleby offers an insightful Mendieta. analysis of Duran’s methodology and stresses the myriad The three invited articles include “Philosophical Women strengths of Duran’s work. The second book review is a review of Early Modern Iberia” by Joan Gibson, “Public Philosophy of The Subject of Care: Feminist Perspectives on Dependency and Feminist Gain in South America” by Amy Oliver, and edited by Eva Feder Kittay and Ellen Feder. The review, by “Chicana Feminisms and Lived Theory” by Jane Duran. Gibson Lucinda Peach, summarizes and analyzes the various essays in explores some of the possible roots of Hispanic philosophy by the collection with an eye toward the influence of traditional looking at Iberian philosophers of the early modern period. women’s roles (as highlighted also in the articles by Oliver and She offers a fascinating look into the literature and culture of Duran as well as Hundleby’s review) on philosophical thinking the period while also making an important contribution to our on “dependency.” In addition, Peach shows how certain of the study of the history of philosophy. Gibson scrutinizes texts by essays participate in the larger discussions on global feminism female authors as well as texts about feminine deportment that form a current running through all of the contributions to and morality. this issue of the Newsletter. Amy Oliver’s article takes us to Uruguay in the early part If you have an idea for a future issue of the APA Newsletter of the twentieth century. She recovers and analyzes some of on Feminism and Philosophy, please contact the editor. As this the feminist insights from Carlos Vaz Ferreira and offers an issue demonstrates, the different meanings of feminist original translation to part of his Sobre feminismo (On philosophy span multiple traditions and methodologies. The Feminism). As Oliver explains, “many of the ideas of this Newsletter is an excellent forum to give those diverse views a seminal Latin American social thinker and his provocative study voice. of gender and family…appear as timely and universal today as About the Newsletter on Feminism and Philosophy they did when first delivered in Uruguay beginning in 1914.” The Newsletter on Feminism and Philosophy is sponsored by Jane Duran situates her article within the larger project of the APA Committee on the Status of Women (CSW). The global feminist theory and emphasizes both the history and Newsletter is designed to provide an introduction to recent the contemporary relevance of certain facets of Chicana/ philosophical work that addresses issues of gender. None of Mexicana feminism. In particular, Duran discusses the the varied philosophical views presented by authors of “resuscitation of La Malinche” and the “predominance of Newsletter articles necessarily reflect the views of any or all of metaphors surrounding the Virgen.” Her discussion also brings the members of the Committee on the Status of Women, to light the invaluable work of Gloria Anzaldúa, who died earlier including the editor(s) of the Newsletter, nor does the this year. In addition to her contributions to Chicana philosophy, committee advocate any particular type of feminist philosophy. Anzaldúa was a powerful force in publicizing the innovative We advocate only that serious philosophical attention be given work of diverse feminist scholars in her two co-edited to issues of gender, and that claims of gender bias in philosophy collections, which form the basis of the review essay by Viki receive full and fair consideration. Soady. Soady’s review, “Anzaldúa and the ‘Bridge’ as Home: Submission Guidelines and Information Healing the Ruptures of Reason: This Bridge We Call Home: 1. Purpose: The purpose of the Newsletter is to publish Radical Visions for Transformation,” presents the essays, information about the status of women in philosophy and to memoirs, and poems of This Bridge We Call Home in light of make the resources of feminist philosophy more widely the groundbreaking earlier collection This Bridge Called My available. The Newsletter contains discussions of recent Back. The juxtaposition of the two books, which share many developments in feminist philosophy and related work in other of the same contributors, accentuates the work that still needs disciplines, literature overviews and book reviews, suggestions to be done for global feminism. Anzaldúa challenges readers for eliminating gender bias in the traditional philosophy to accept a new epistemological project that rejects dualisms curriculum, and reflections on feminist pedagogy. It also informs and distancing in favor of “the possibility of wholeness.” This the profession about the work of the APA Committee on the new perspective—the new project—is necessarily collective, Status of Women. Articles submitted to the Newsletter should — APA Newsletter, Fall 2004, Volume 04, Number 1 — be limited to 10 double-spaced pages and must follow the The CSW meetings held in Pasadena and Chicago were, APA guidelines for gender-neutral language. Please submit four as I suggested above, very productive. Among the matters we copies of essays, prepared for anonymous review. References discussed, endorsed, enacted, and/or implemented were the should follow The Chicago Manual of Style. following: 2. Book Reviews and Reviewers: If you have published a First, we endorsed a statement on inclusiveness forwarded book that is appropriate for review in the Newsletter, please by Lucius T. Outlaw to the Executive Board on behalf of the have your publisher send us a copy of your book. We are always Committee on Inclusiveness. The statement read in part as in need of book reviewers. To volunteer to review books (or follows: some particular book), please send to the Editor a CV and (A) Increasing the numbers and respected presence of letter of interest, including mention of your areas of research persons from groups that have historically been and teaching. subjected to invidious discrimination. These groups 3. Where to Send Things: Please send all articles, comments, include, but are not limited to, disabled persons; suggestions, books, and other communications to the Editor: persons of African descent; American Indians; Asians Dr. Sally J. Scholz, Department of Philosophy, Villanova and Asian Americans; Hispanics and Latinos/as; Jews; University, 800 Lancaster Avenue, Villanova, PA 19085-1699, persons of Middle Eastern descent; multiracial [email protected] persons; lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender 4. Submission Deadlines: Submissions for Spring issues are persons; women. due by the preceding September 1st; submissions for Fall issues (B) Recognizing and supporting the development of are due by the preceding July 1. scholarly philosophical research, teaching service, and professional activity pertaining to the concerns of these groups. Note that this statement is a work in progress and that it will be further developed and implemented by Joan Callahan, the NEWS FROM THE COMMITTEE ON incoming Chair of the Committee on Inclusiveness. Second, we developed four ideas for large-scale projects THE STATUS OF WOMEN we believe are worthy of external funding as the APA heads into a major fundraising campaign. Among these ideas (a full list is available from me) was one for a conference to address the role of women in philosophy. The purpose of the Report from the Chair conference would be to provide a forum for women who do Since last reporting to you in this Newsletter, the CSW has philosophy to voice their concerns about the practice of been very busy. As you will recall, the panel members at the philosophy in general and about their role and status in the 2003 APA Eastern Division Meeting in Washington, D.C. profession of philosophy in particular: challenged the CSW and all the women in the profession to 1. The number, rank, age, race/ethnicity/nation of origin “open a discussion abut the institutional marginality and of women in philosophy, encapsulation of feminist philosophy within professional 2. The areas of specialization and competence of philosophy, and about the link between the position of feminist women in philosophy, philosophy and low representation of women in the field” 3. The need for women in philosophy to strengthen (Margaret Urban Walker, “Diotima’s Ghost: Contribution to a networking and mentoring efforts, Panel on Women Philosophers, Sidelined Challenges, and Professional Philosophy,” APA Eastern Division Meeting, 2003).