PDF Women and War; with a new epilogue by Jean Bethke Elshtain in History

Review

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful. An important and urgent introductionBy QThe reviewer below summed up Jean Bethke Elshtain's book concisely; so I will refrain from the repetition. My only comment here is to say that Elshtain's curious omission of the issue of imperialism and colonialism; as well as the issue of race and class (though she does sometimes cursorily include this latter category: class); ultimately detracts from her otherwise clear-sighted and compelling argument. Although Elshtain does openly limit her study to Western texts; political and otherwise; insofar as imperialism and colonialism are integral parts of Western history and self-definition; the omission is critical and not only surfaces glaringly; but also limits her critical models and potentials. As for her treatment of race and class (or lack there of); this too is critical and ultimately undermines her otherwise compelling conclusion (basically; it renders her blind to her own elitism and assumptions; to become the "Chastened Patriot" she wants everyone to become requires certain privileges).Of course; no one can take everything into account; but the insularity of her study is unfortunate precisely because this is such an important work; especially now; with our so-called perpetual war on terror in full swing. While I do not agree with her conclusions about the possibilities of just-wars and the ideal of what Elshtain calls the "Chastened Patriot;" capable of assessing and waging such just-wars; this is an excellent and accessible introduction for any reader who is interested thinking about the politics of war and peace; and their own positions in relation to it.15 of 16 people found the following review helpful. A fresh viewBy B. FalkFrom the Homeric warrior to Rambo; from the Spartan mother to the Greenham Common Women; Western paradigms of war have shaped public action and forged male and female identity. In thebeginning; politics was war; and war has always been a quintessentially male activity. War; in fact; has always created the greatest gender gap; with deeply rooted myths of Man as just Warrior andWoman as Beautiful Soul serving to re-create and secure women's social position as noncombatants and men's identity as warriors.In this brilliant; startlingly original inquiry; a distinguished political philosopher and feminist demonstrates that the old myths-flattering to both men and women-will not do. They are defied by the reality of female bellicosity and sacrificial male love; and undermined by ambiguous issues-from the role of women in combat; to the moral imperatives of just wars. Finding inadequate the very forms of war discourse; Elshtain shakes us loose from both the institutional language of international-relations and conventional military narrative to open her book to the culture of war as she andher family experienced it in Colorado during and after the Second World War; thus creating a new genre of the woman's war story. Incorporating a vast range of materials; from history to culturalanthropology; popular culture; and feminist theory; she then critiques standard political theory from Aristotle to the present and shows how that theory itself constructs a life of collective conflict. By attacking the roots of war in the myths of war; Elshtain lays open the promise of a radical reconstruction of our political order.