This thesis is a study of selected themes in feminist rethinkings of the political. It explores connections between specific interpretations of the meanings and boundaries of the political, the problems of exclusion and the imagination of non-exclusionary alternatives. It traces, and responds to, shifts in these interconnected concerns that have transpired over the last three decades as feminists in western liberal democracies have moved from a preoccupation with gendered oppression, to relations of identity and difference more broadly conceived. The contrasting perspectives of Moira Gatens and Anne Phillips on political exclusion and their preferred political futures are discussed. Gatens' preferred future is a 'polymorphous, polyvocal and polyvalent body politic' but the institutional forms of that polity and its relation to actually existing liberal democracy are uncertain. Phillips apparently has more modest aspirations; for increased political presence for the politically marginalised (especially women); and for a revitalisation of the deliberative component of democracy. Although Phillips appears to hold the trump card of immediate practical relevance, the thesis questions this assumption. It argues that feminist analysis can only benefit from increased conversation between such divergent feminist responses to the problem of political exclusion. But further, it concludes that the least 'practical' may sometimes be the most important components of feminist rethinkings of the political / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

This essay analyzes the narrative surrounding women’s right to autonomy in two novels in the Speculative Fiction genre, more specifically the 20th century dystopian novel The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood (1985), and the anti-utopian novel Brave New World by Aldous Huxley (1932), while arguing for the pedagogical merit of both works. Matters regarding female independence and gender equality are in consistent flux, and any uprise in feminist movements and female emancipation has most commonly been met with resistance. In the overarching aims of the curriculum of upper secondary school it is stated that the education must promote values such as equality, solidarity and inclusivity. As women’s rights to their own bodies are currently under debate in several contexts, students are likely to have been exposed to contemporary discussions on gendered oppression. For these reasons, analyzing how the female body has been rendered in historical and contemporary texts is arguably both relevant and important. As this essay discusses, gender and power relations have remained relevant in political developments: reproduction rights continue to feature prominently, whether in narratives of future worst-possible scenarios, or in speculative fiction. Lastly, this essay proposes that using Speculative Fiction in the L2 classroom can increase learner motivation. / <p>Slutgiltigt godkännandedatum: 2023-06-02</p>