Foundations of Healthcare Ethics Theory to Practice

In her book Feminist Politics and Human Nature, Alison Jaggar (1983) argues that, in some form or another, feminism has always existed. For as long as women have experienced social, political or cultural subordination, there have been either individual or communal women who have resisted this reduction in status. Over the last two centuries, a visible and organised feminist movement has emerged. This chapter will present a historical timeline of feminist theory that will include an identification of several proto-feminists, and explore the social, cultural and ethical foundations of contemporary feminist theory. The three main ‘waves’ of feminism will be analysed, key writers and activists in these areas identified, and some workable definitions of relevant broad terms presented. Emancipation, suffragettes, radical feminism, liberation movement, care ethics and global feminism are fundamental terms that will be explored in this chapter. It will be argued that contemporary feminist theory is predominately a Western construct and that for application in non-Western, indigenous and culturally and linguistically diverse cultures, theoretical adaptation should be considered.

In the final section of the chapter, an application of one element of contemporary feminist theory will be presented in connection with healthcare ethics: relational autonomy. A case study involving the care of a woman with an unplanned pregnancy will be highlighted to assist with the application of relational autonomy and the connection with healthcare ethical reasoning.