Signifying Woman - (Contestations) by Linda M G Zerilli

About the Book

Woman has been defined in classic political theory as elusive yet dangerous, by her nature fundamentally destructive to public life. In the view of Linda M. G. Zerilli, however, gender relations shape the very grammar of citizenship. In deeply...

Book Synopsis

Woman has been defined in classic political theory as elusive yet dangerous, by her nature fundamentally destructive to public life. In the view of Linda M. G. Zerilli, however, gender relations shape the very grammar of citizenship. In deeply textured interpretations of Rousseau, Burke, and Mill, Zerilli recasts our understanding of woman as the agent of social chaos and makes a major advance for feminist political theory.

Review Quotes

Signifying Woman is in many respects a benchmark in feminist political theory. What Zerilli sets out to do (and successfully does) is to argue that a feminist critical practice of reading texts in political theory is insufficient if confined to efforts to 'get woman' right.

About the Author

Linda M. G. Zerilli is Associate Professor of Political Science and Associate Director of the Walt Whitman Center for the Culture and Politics of Democracy at Rutgers University.