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The power of love has become a renewed matter of feminist and non-feminist attention in the 21st century's theory debates. What is this power? Is it a form of domination? Or is it a liberating force in our contemporary societies?
Within Feminism and the Power of Love lies the central argument that, although love is a crucial site of gendered power asymmetries, it is also a vital source of human empowerment that we cannot live without. Instead of emphasizing "either-or", this enlightening title puts the dualities and contradictions of love center stage. Indeed, by offering various theoretical perspectives on what makes love such a central value and motivator for people, this title will increase one's understanding as to why love can keep people in its grip - even when practiced in ways that deplete and oppress. In light of such analyses, the contributions within Feminism and the Power of Love present new perspectives on the conditions and characteristics of non-oppressive, mutually enhancing ways of loving.
Bridging the gap between Feminist Affect Studies and Feminist Love Studies, this book will appeal to undergraduate and postgraduate students, including postdoctoral researchers, interested in fields such as women's and gender studies, sociology, political science, philosophy, cultural studies and sexuality studies.
List of contents
Chapter 1
The Power of Love: Towards an Interdisciplinary and Multi-Theoretical Feminist Love Studies
Lena Gunnarsson, Adriana García-Andrade, and Anna G. Jónasdóttir
Part 1. QUESTIONING LOVE AND POWER
Chapter 2
The Difference that Love (Power) Makes
Anna G. Jónasdóttir
Chapter 3
Alienation in Love: Is Mutual Love the Solution?
Ann Ferguson
Chapter 4
What Has Happened to the Feminist Critique of Romantic Love in the Same-Sex Marriage Debate?
Renata Grossi
Part 2. LOVE AND AFFECT
Chapter 5
Love as Affective Energy: Where Feminist Love Studies Meets Feminist Affect Theory
Margaret E. Toye
Chapter 6
From Murderous Love to Worldly Love? Affect Theory, Violence against Women, and the Materiality of Love
Kathleen B. Jones
Part 3. TOGETHERNESS AND ITS FORMS
Chapter 7
Feminist Visions and Socio-Political Meanings of Non-Monogamous Love
Justyna Szachowicz Sempruch
Chapter 8
The Invisible Ties We Share: A Relational Analysis of the Contemporary Loving Couple
Adriana García-Andrade and Olga Sabido-Ramos
Chapter 9
Silent Love: On Irigaray’s Suggestion of Cultivating Sexual Difference
Silvia Stoller
Chapter 10
Love, Feminism, and Dialectics: Repairing Splits in Theory and Practice
Lena Gunnarsson
Notes on Contributors
Index
About the author
Adriana García-Andrade is Professor at the Department of Sociology, Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana (UAM), México
Lena Gunnarsson is a Postdoctoral fellow at Department of Gender Studies, Lund University, Sweden
Anna G. Jónasdóttir is Senior Professor at Örebro University, Sweden
Summary
Within Feminism and the Power of Love lies the central argument that, although love is a crucial site of gendered power asymmetries, it is also a vital source of human empowerment that we cannot live without. Instead of emphasizing “either-or”, this enlightening title puts the dualities and contradictions of love center stage.
