Sexual / Textual Politics: Feminist Literary Theory

TLDR

Since its publication, the book has become a classic in feminist literary theory. The book investigates the political implications of feminist critical practice and how literary problems relate to feminist political priorities. It examines Anglo‑American and French strands of feminist criticism, focusing on Cixous, Irigaray, and Kristeva, and argues for a committedly political and theoretical criticism rather than purely textual approaches. The updated edition, with a new afterword, positions the book as essential reading for feminist literary theorists.

Abstract

What are the political implications of a feminist critical practice? How do the problems of the literary text relate to the priorities and perspectives of feminist politics as a whole? Sexual/Textual Politics addresses these fundamental questions and examines the strengths and limitations of the two main strands in feminist criticism, the Anglo-American and the French, paying particular attention to the works of Cixous, Irigaray and Kristeva. In the years since publication this book has rightly attained the status of a classic. Written for readers with little knowledge of the subject, Sexual/Textual Politics nevertheless makes its own intervention into key debates, arguing provocatively for a commitedly political and theoretical criticism as against merely textual or apolitical approaches. With a new afterword in this edition, Sexual/Textual Politics is a must-read for all those interested in feminist literary theory.