| Popis: |
This thesis examines how far concerns about the perceived influence of feminism on the English legal system are grounded in reality. It makes two main points. Firstly, it shows that there is a significant concern, as presented in the media, that 'politically correct' feminism is having a major influence on the law in England. It shows, for example, that there is an important worry about the perceived influence of feminism on the law dealing with sexual offences and compensation for sexual violence. Similarly, it shows that there is also an notable concern that England will adopt, or that it already has adopted in significant respects, sexual harassment laws as extreme as those supposedly in place in America. Secondly, it demonstrates that certain kinds of feminist approaches to law have made uneven or little progress, despite the widely held perception that they have made tremendous headway in the legal system. By way of an epilogue, it concludes that the reaction to 'politically correct' feminism may best be viewed as a form of 'moral panic'; i.e. a societal response based on beliefs about a perceived moral threat. It places this moral panic in a historical and cultural perspective, comparing it to other moral panics such as the 1950s anti-Communist hunt in American society, and considers its cause. |
