Voronina, O. A. The Identity Problem in Post-Modernistic Feminism

Abstract: Based on English texts, the author of the article describes and analyzes transformation of feministic theories under the influence of the global social processes and intellectual innovations during the age of Post-Modernism. The article considers the social and discursive grounds for new feministic conceptions (the third-wave feminism). Neoconservative political reaction to the seconds-wave feminism during the 80th as well as further development of globalization played a particular role among other social determinants of this process. Globalization resulted in activation of women of the Third World and formation of ethnic feministic conceptions centered on the multi-identity problem (on the basis of ethnicity, gender and social class). According to the author, discursive grounds for post-modernistic feminism included internal contradictions in the theories of the first- and second-wave feminism and criticism by anti-feminism, post-modernism, ‘black and colour’ feminism, feministic post-colonial theory and simply ‘other-minded’ feminists. The author also describes and analyzes the ‘new feministic movements’ of the X generation with their basic features being the refusal from the theory, values and mass political actions of the second-wave feminism; individualism; hedonism; and adoption of the concepts of the flexible or hybrid personal identities. This, in fact, shows that feminism does not exist as the theory and mass movement any more. The article introduces many English texts written both by the representative of the third-wave feminism and Western feminism researches.

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