Gendered Readings of Change

Clara Fischer is a Researcher and Lecturer in political philosophy and feminist theory. Outside of the academy, she acts as a consultant to the NGO sector and is a director of the Irish Feminist Network, Ireland

"An original and compelling book. Fischer problematizes canonical theories of change through a feminist-pragmatist approach. She highlights John Dewey's transformation of Aristotle's philosophy to explicate a dynamic sense of self. This leads to a feminist-pragmatist self with the capacity to effect socio-political change. Gendered hierarchies distorting philosophy from its inception are swept away in this model of humans in transaction with their environments. This is a philosophy for our time." - Charlene Haddock Seigfried, Professor Emerita of Philosophy, Purdue University, USA "In this ambitious book Fischer addresses an important topic - the nature of change - in the contemporary context of feminist politics. Ranging from ancient philosophy to literature to political theory, Fischer develops a pragmatist-feminist account of how selves can initiate and undergo change. This carefully crafted and scholarly work is at the cutting edge of current feminist thought." - Alison Stone, Professor of European Philosophy, Lancaster University, UK

• PART I: GENEALOGICAL REFLECTIONS ON CHANGE 1. Women, Change, and the Birth of Philosophy 2. Change in Dewey's and Aristotle's Metaphysics 3. Change in Dewey's and Aristotle's Self PART II: FEMINIST-PRAGMATIST RECONSTRUCTION OF CHANGE 4. The Feminist-Pragmatist Self 5. Democracy and Change as Transaction