Femocracy

The rise and spread of feminism should be at the center of the world historical narrative, but feminism is often treated as a sub-heading. For specific cultural reasons, feminism grew out of democratic ideals right after the Protestant Reformation and developed into the most powerful force currently shaping the world. 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, maybe it is time to recognize that the most impressive outcome of the Declaration of Independence was not that it produced an American Revolution and a Constitution, but that it inspired the genius of Mary Wollstonecraft. It is true that democratic ideals created both the American Congress and feminism, but which is more important? Femocracy: How Educators can Teach Democratic Ideals and Feminism is an indispensable work for teachers of history, sociology, and women’s studies.

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

Chris Edwards, EdD is 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.