Abstract: | Work on Women is the French Enlightenment's most in-depth feminist analysis of inequality--and its most neglected one. In it, Louise Dupin, also known as Madame Dupin (1706-1799), reveals the sexist bias ("masculine vanity") that informs the knowledge and institutions that shape women's lives and argues that the subjection of women is a modern phenomenon, based on an illegitimate, abusive marriage contract. This is the first-ever edition of selected translations of Dupin's massive project, developed from manuscript drafts. Robust introductions to the text contextualize Dupin's working methods--including the role of her secretary, Jean-Jacques Rousseau-and emphasize the importance of feminist thought to the development of moral and political philosophy. |
