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Empowerment and Violence Against Women as Viewed by John Stuart Mill and Serene Khader

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DOI:

https://doi.org/10.14394/etyka.1333

Keywords:

empowerment, violence against women, good life, John Stuart Mill, Serene Khader, perfectionism

Abstract

Empowerment has been conceptualized in feminist theories in various ways. I suggest reading it in a perfectionist way, as an element of successful (good) human life. Using the notion of empowerment and the concept of a successful human life, reconstructed on the basis of John Stuart Mill’s essays, I have shown in what way the issue of violence against women poses a threat to their empowerment as autonomous individuals. I have also referred to Serene Khader’s deliberative perfectionist approach. That also includes her viewing women’s reactions to the violence against them as a sort of inappropriately adapted preferences. Finally, it has let me show how changing the oppressive conditions makes it possible to regain empowerment and reinforce their own agency for victims of violence.

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Author Biography

Elżbieta Filipow, University of Warsaw

PhD candidate in Department of Ethics at Faculty of Philosophy, University of Warsaw. 

References

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Published

2023-05-31

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How to Cite

Filipow, Elżbieta. 2023. “Empowerment and Violence Against Women As Viewed by John Stuart Mill and Serene Khader”. Etyka, May. Warsaw, Poland. https://doi.org/10.14394/etyka.1333.

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