International law and feminism

Abstract

This chapter provides an overview of the intersection between international law and feminism. It predominantly discusses scholarly writing, but also some major documents and institutions. The US has been notoriously narrow in its understanding of and respect for international law. It is not a required course in most law schools, and American courts often refuse to acknowledge relevant international law at all. This myopia has extended to US feminist legal theory. Many feminist scholars focus on US law in their specialty and never mention the international implications. Some feminist anthologies may not even contain one article on international law.1 Interestingly, collections produced in other countries contain more international material, probably paralleling the acknowledgment of international law within their own legal systems. In the future, it would be significant if US feminists extended their coverage or at least cited more fully to the robust international literature.2 This chapter first shows how feminism has developed within various international law subfields. It then focuses on a major offshoot from traditional international legal jurisprudence known as Third World Approaches to International Law (TWAIL). Finally, it highlights global critical race feminism (CRF), with its emphasis on women of color, an area that intersects with every area previously reviewed. The conclusion notes that much work remains to be done.