Femocracy: How Educators Can Teach Democratic Ideals and Feminism

(Paperback)

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In Femocracy: How Educators Can Teach Democratic Ideals and Feminism, Chris Edwards discusses why the rise and spread of feminism should be at the center of the world historical narrative instead of being treated as a historical subheading. For cultural reasons, feminism grew out of democratic ideals right after the Protestant Reformation and developed into the most powerful force currently shaping the world. Edwards posits that traditional Western civ narratives often connect the Protestant Reformation to the Enlightenment and the Enlightenment to the development of participatory governments; however, given that democratic ideals also produced feminism, it is time to recognize that the most impressive outcome of the Enlightenment is not that it produced revolutions in America and France, but rather that it inspired the genius of Mary Wollstonecraft. Femocracy means rule by the feminine and as cooperation, communication, and nonaggression become the dominant themes of the modern world; it is time to rethink our traditional historical narratives. Femocracy is an indispensable work for teachers of history, sociology, and womens studies.

Reviews

In this compact and lively volume, Chris Edwards proposes an interpretation of world history centered on the growth of feminine democratic values defined as cooperative, considerate of others, group based, and nurturing. Tracing important changes in society from the Enlightenment through the French Revolution, and on into contemporary times, key points in the development of this alternative history emerge. The book is particularly useful in explicating the importance of mass publishing, the abolitionist movement, access to higher education, and birth control on the growth of this femocratic historical force. The perspective presented is likely to spark lively classroom discussions. -- Gary A. Berg

Author Bio

Chris Edwards, EdDis the author of numerous books with Rowman & Littlefield, has presented his original connect-the-dots teaching method through the National Council for the Social Studies, and is a frequent contributor to Skeptic magazine. He teaches AP World History and an English course on critical thinking at a public high school in the Midwest.