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‘Feminism’ was the word of the year in 2017 – a year that began with a surge of hope and solidarity on the Women’s March, and ended with women breaking their silence on sexual harassment and assault. But it was also the year that saw Donald Trump sail on as President of the United States, and the #MeToo campaign engulfed in suspicion of women who falsely accuse, and recrimination of women who did not speak up. We’re now on the fourth wave of feminism, but how far have we come?

As 2018 dawns, come along to this evening class with historian of ideas Dr Hannah Dawson and get an intellectual grounding on the urgent topic of feminism. The class begins with a lecture exploring the history and the arguments of the movement, culminating in a ride through its four waves – from the first wave, when the suffragettes fought for the right to vote, to the second, when the personal became political, to the third, when femininity was reasserted and “choice” championed, through to the present day, a symphony of digital and diverse voices.

Along the way, you’ll encounter ideas by some of the greats, such as Mary Wollstonecraft, Simone de Beauvoir, and bell hooks. Throughout the class, the past will be used to reflect upon the pressing concerns of the present, such as the gender pay gap, harassment, and intersectionality, and there’ll be plenty of opportunities for discussion and Q&A.

You’ll leave with a fresh perspective on key historical and contemporary issues surrounding feminism, enabling you to contribute to gender-themed debates with more confidence.

Some of the key questions explored during the class…

Are there any essential differences between men and women – or is gender just a construction?



Has the liberation of women in fact only pulled the chains more tightly around them?

Is feminism the privileged preserve of a white, middle-class Western women? Why must feminism be intersectional?

Do women choose to wear high heels, do the majority of domestic labour, and shy away from the top jobs – or is choice just a delusion?

What is the difference between flirting and harassing?

Is there a need for a political party, the Women’s Equality Party, to campaign against the basic inequalities between the sexes at work and home, in the media and on the streets?

Is feminism a movement just for women, or for men, too?

How can we shake free the stereotypes that shackle us all?

The class emphasises that there are no straightforward answers to most of these questions – it’s open to all and aims to foster free, inclusive debate.

Tutor profile

Hannah Dawson is a historian of ideas and a lecturer in the history of political thought at King’s College London. She received her PhD in history from the University of Cambridge and is the author of Life Lessons from Hobbes. Hannah contributes frequently to live and broadcast media, including BBC4, BBC Radio 4, TEDx and Guardian Live, and writes for publications such as the Times Literary Supplement (TLS) and Prospect. She tweets @DrHannahDawson.

Details

This course has now passed – but we update our programme all the time. For information on our full range of classes, sign up to the Guardian Masterclasses newsletter, follow us on Twitter, or keep an eye on our calendar.

Date: Monday 22 January 2018

Times: 7pm-9pm

Location: Hall One, Kings Place, 90 York Way, London N1 9GU

Price: £49 plus £2.46 booking fee

Event capacity: 380

Complimentary refreshments included.

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