A Companion to Simone de Beauvoir (Blackwell Companions to Philosophy)

Winner of the 2018 Choice award for Outstanding Academic Title! The work of Simone de Beauvoir has endured and flowered in the last two decades, thanks primarily to the lasting influence of The Second Sex on the rise of academic discussions of gender, sexuality, and old age. Now, in this new Companion dedicated to her life and writings, an international assembly of prominent scholars, essayists, and leading interpreters reflect upon the range of Beauvoir’s contribution to philosophy as one of the great authors, thinkers, and public intellectuals of the twentieth century. The Companion examines Beauvoir’s rich intellectual life from a variety of angles—including literary, historical, and anthropological perspectives—and situates her in relation to her forbears and contemporaries in the philosophical canon. Essays in each of four thematic sections reveal the breadth and acuity of her insight, from the significance of The Second Sex and her work on the metaphysics of gender to her plentiful contributions in ethics and political philosophy. Later chapters trace the relationship between Beauvoir’s philosophical and literary work and open up her scholarship to global issues, questions of race, and the legacy of colonialism and sexism. The volume concludes by considering her impact on contemporary feminist thought writ large, and features pioneering work from a new generation of Beauvoir scholars. Ambitious and unprecedented in scope, A Companion to Simone de Beauvoir is an accessible and interdisciplinary resource for students, teachers, and researchers across the humanities and social sciences. Title Page Copyright Page Contents Notes on Contributors Acknowledgements Introduction Note References Part I Re-reading The Second Sex A. Reception and Scholarship Chapter 1 Beauvoir’s Transdisciplinarity: From Philosophy to Gender Theory 1. Beauvoir’s Philosophy 2. The Shock of the New 3. From Philosophy ... 4. ... To Gender Theory Notes References Further Reading Chapter 2 The Intellectual and Social Context of The Second Sex 1. Political and Socioeconomic Citizenship Rights 2. Writing for Social Change References Chapter 3 “The Limits of the Abject.” The Reception of Le Deuxième Sexe in 19491 Notes References Chapter 4 Simone de Beauvoir and the Race/Gender Analogy in The Second Sex Revisited 1. Introduction 2. The Race/Gender Analogy Revisited 3. Critiques of the Race Gender Analogy 4. Black Feminist Readings of Beauvoir 5. Conclusion Notes References Chapter 5 Two English Translations of Simone de Beauvoir’s The Second Sex 1. Debates over H. M. Parshley’s English Translation of The Second Sex 2. Replacing Parshley’s Translation 3. Debates over Borde and Malovany‐Chevallier’s English Translation of The Second Sex 4. Support for the New Translation 5. Proposal of a Digital Edition of The Second Sex Acknowledgement References B. Central Themes Chapter 6 Beauvoir and the Biological Body 1. Introduction 2. Beauvoir’s Biology 3. Fausto-Sterling and the Biology of Sex 4. Conclusion: Why Theories of Sexuality Matter Notes References Chapter 7 Becoming Bodies 1. Immanence as Transcendence 2. Gatens’ “Second Look” 3. Denaturalized Bodies 4. Irreducibly Different Bodies Note References Chapter 8 The Drama of Independence: Narcissism, Childhood, and the Family Complexes 1. The Character of Childhood and the Fruition of Freedom 2. The Enigma of Narcissism 3. Vital Insufficiency, Prematurity, and the Family Complexes 4. The Dramas of Weaning and Intrusion 5. Conclusion Notes References Chapter 9 The Second Sexuality: Training in the Work of Simone de Beauvoir and Michel Foucault 1. Introduction 2. Beauvoir on the Girl’s Formation: The Existential Infant and the Girl’s Vocation 3. Foucault’s Disciplinary Orthopedics and its Reception 4. Beauvoir and Foucault Notes References Chapter 10 Beauvoir and the Ambiguities of Motherhood 1. Beauvoir, Motherhood, and The Second Sex 2. Transcendence, Immanence, and Maternity 3. Maternal Ambiguities References Chapter 11 Laboring with Beauvoir: In Search of the Embodied Subject in Childbirth 1. Introduction: Why Childbirth, why Beauvoir? 2. Industrialized Labor Versus Idealized Labor: Erasing the Body 3. Beauvoir’s Ambiguous Embodied Subject 4. Conclusions: Recuperating the (Ambiguous) Subjectivity in Labor Notes References Further Reading Chapter 12 Simone de Beauvoir on Motherhood and Destiny 1. Beauvoir on Motherhood: Two Readings 2. Beauvoir on Motherhood: A Third Reading 3. Motherhood and Destiny Notes References Chapter 13 Love – According to Simone de Beauvoir 1. Inauthentic Love 2. Authentic Love 3. Beauvoir’s View on Love Contrasted with Sartre’s 4. Relational Autonomy Notes References Chapter 14 Why is Woman the Other? 1. Introduction 2. What is Alterity? 3. The Alienated Body 4. Alterity as Reciprocity and Freedom 5. The Other, the Étranger, the Étrangère 6. Conclusion: The Other’s Gaze on the Other Notes References Further Reading Part II Beauvoir’s Intellectual Engagements Chapter 15 Beauvoir and Hegel 1. Introduction 2. Reading Hegel 3. Engaging with Hegel 4. Beauvoir and Hegel in Question 5. Conclusion References Further Reading Chapter 16 Simone de Beauvoir’s Relation to Hegel’s Absolute 1. Introduction 2. Absolute in Simone de Beauvoir’s Early Intellectual History 3. Hegel’s Absolute and Beauvoir’s Reflection on It 4. Simone de Beauvoir’s Personalism Notes References Chapter 17 Beauvoir and Merleau-Ponty 1. Intertwined Histories 2. The Ethical is Metaphysical 3. The Metaphysical is Sexual 4. Woman and Flesh 5. Beauvoir’s Ontology Notes References Chapter 18 Beauvoir and Merleau-Ponty on Freedom and Authenticity 1. Beauvoir on Freedom 2. Merleau-Ponty on Freedom 3. Authenticity 4. So Why The Difference? Notes References Chapter 19 Beauvoir and the Marxism Question 1. Beauvoir’s Politico-Intellectual Milieu 2. Marxism in Beauvoir’s Early Essays 3. Marxism in The Second Sex 4. Marxism after The Second Sex 5. Marxism and Beauvoir’s Later Feminism Notes References Further Reading Chapter 20 Beauvoir Between Structuralism and “Aleatory Materialism” 1. From “the Second” to the Other 2. The Female Other as an Exception 3. From Asymmetry to Deviation 4. A Throw of the Dice 5. To do Justice to Beauvoir References Chapter 21 Unweaving the Threads of Influence: Beauvoir and Sartre 1. Threads of Influence 2. Committed Literature and the Appeal to the Other 3. What is Influence? Notes References Further Reading Part III Beyond The Second Sex A. Beauvoir’s Ethics and Political Philosophy Chapter 22 “Pyrrhus and Cineas”: The Conditions of a Meaningful Life 1. Living in the Moment 2. The Universe as a Whole 3. Religion 4. Humanitarianism 5. Death 6. Devotion and Generosity 7. Violence 8. Success 9. Conclusion References Chapter 23 Separation and Queer Connection in The Ethics of Ambiguity 1. Ambiguity and Metastability 2. Separation and Violence 3. Images of Separation 4. Relational and Anti‐social 5. Conclusion Notes References Chapter 24 Simone de Beauvoir on Violence and Politics 1. Violence as Nature and Construct 2. “An Eye for an Eye” 3. The Case of Djamila Boupacha 4. Conclusions References Further Reading Chapter 25 Why Rape? Lessons from The Second Sex 1. The Sexed Other 2. The Flight from Vulnerability 3. Seducing Women’s Freedom 4. The Oldest Profession 5. Rape and the Politics of Shaming 6. Respectable Whores Note References Chapter 26 Simone de Beauvoir, Women’s Oppression and Existential Freedom 1. Ambiguity and Existential Freedom 2. Analogical Thinking and Women’s Oppression 3. Women’s Oppression as a Test of Existential Freedom 4. America Day By Day and the Race/Gender Analogy 5. Concluding Remarks Note References B. Beauvoir and the Art of Philosophical Fiction Chapter 27 Beauvoir as Literary Writer Notes References Chapter 28 Simone de Beauvoir and the Dialectic of Desire in L’Invitée 1. Introduction 2. Kojève and Desire 3. Lacan and the Subject of the Unconscious 4. The Problem of Sexuality Notes References Chapter 29 The Failure of Female Identity in Simone de Beauvoir’s Fiction 1. Introduction 2. Identity Formation and the False Claims of the Absolute 3. Françoise 4. Régine 5. Monique 6. Conclusion 7. Acknowledgement Notes References Chapter 30 The Power of Literature: Simone de Beauvoir’s Les Mandarins and the Metaphysical Novel 1. Les Mandarins 2. The Metaphysical Novel References Further Reading C. Beauvoir’s Scope: Memory, History, and Age Chapter 31 Beauvoir, Philosophy, and Autobiography References Chapter 32 Witnessing Self, Witnessing Other in Beauvoir’s Life Writings 1. Beauvoir the Diarist 2. Correspondence 3. Memoirs Notes References Further Reading Chapter 33 Simone de Beauvoir: Women and Philosophy of History 1. An Anti-Essentialist Perspective 2. Beauvoir’s Work is Autobiographical 3. Philosophy of Consciousness Versus Philosophy of the Subject 4. Bad Faith and Emancipation 5. What Transcendence? 6. Beauvoirian Materialism 7. History and Autobiography Notes References Further Reading Chapter 34 The Postwar World According to Beauvoir Notes References Chapter 35 Afterlives: Beauvoir’s Old Age and the Intersections of The Second Sex 1. The Second Sex and Old Age 2. Surviving Sex 3. Aging and Intersectionality Notes References Further Reading Part IV Beauvoir and Contemporary Feminism Chapter 36 Race After Beauvoir 1. Intersectionality and the Physical Activism of White and Black Girls 2. Biology, Entanglement, and Race 3. Conclusion References Chapter 37 Who Is the Subject of The Second Sex? Life, Science, and Transmasculine Embodiment in Beauvoir’s Chapter on Biology 1. Introduction 2. Claude Bernard and Simone de Beauvoir 3. Transsexualism, Error, and the “Glandular Thesis” 4. Who Is the Subject of The Second Sex? Acknowledgements Notes References Chapter 38 Misunderstanding in Paris 1. Pluralism 2. Misunderstanding in Paris Notes References Chapter 39 Beauvoir’s Legacy to the Quartiers: The Changing Face of French Feminism 1. Beauvoir’s Legacy in an Activist Context 2. Beauvoir in the Banlieues 3. The Case of Djamila Boupacha 4. Giving Voice: Beauvoir’s Legacy in Two Perspectives Notes References Chapter 40 Second Languaging The Second Sex, Its Conceptual Genius: A Translingual Contemporization of “On ne naît pas femme: on le devient.” 1. .... 2. Le/La: Born This Way or That Way or Any Way 3. On (One, and Which?): One language/the Language of One that is not One 4. (un[e]) X: A Void to Avoid? 5. Naître/devenir femme in Other Words 6. Jwawoojigan + Is She Coming? References Index EULA The work of Simone de Beauvoir has endured and flowered in the last two decades, thanks primarily to the lasting influence of The Second Sex on the rise of academic discourse around issues of gender, sexuality, and old age. Now, in this new Companion dedicated to her life and writing, an international assembly of prominent scholars, essayists, and leading interpreters reflect upon the range of Beauvoir's contribution to philosophy as one of the great authors, thinkers, and public intellectuals of the twentieth century. The Companion examines Beauvoir's rich intellectual life from a variety of angles - including literary, historical, and anthropological perspectives - and situates her in relation to her forebears and contemporaries in the philosophical canon. Essays in each of four thematic sections reveal the breadth and acuity of her insight, from the significance of The Second Sex and her work on the metaphysics of gender to her plentiful contributions in ethics and political philosophy. Later chapters trace the relationship between Beauvoir's philosophical and literary work, and open up her scholarship to global issues, questions of race, and the legacy of colonialism and sexism. The volume concludes by considering her impact on contemporary feminist thought writ large, and features pioneering work from a new generation of Beauvoir scholars. Ambitious and unprecedented in scope, A Companion to Simone de Beauvoir is an accessible and interdisciplinary resource for students, teachers, and researchers across the humanities and social sciences. Laura Hengehold is Associate Professor and Chair of the Department of Philosophy at Case Western Reserve University. She is a prolific author. Nancy Bauer is Professor of Philosophy, Dean of the School of the Museum of Fine Arts, and Dean of Academic Affairs for the Tufts University School of Arts and Sciences. --Book Jacket. Re-reading The second sex. Reception and Scholarship. Beauvoir's Transdisciplinarity : From Philosophy to Gender Theory / Stella Sandford -- Intellectual and Social Context of The Second Sex / Sandra Reineke -- The Limits of the Abject. The Reception of Le Deuxième Sexe in 1949 / Ingrid Galster -- Simone de Beauvoir and the Race/Gender Analogy in The Second Sex Revisited / Kathryn T. Gines -- Two English Translations of Simone de Beauvoir's The Second Sex / Emily R. Grosholz -- Central Themes. Beauvoir and the Biological Body / Ruth Groenhout -- Becoming Bodies / Emily Anne Parker -- Drama of Independence: Narcissism, Childhood, and the Family Complexes / Emily Zakin -- Second Sexuality : Training in the Work of Simone de Beauvoir and Michel Foucault / Mary Beth Mader -- Beauvoir and the Ambiguities of Motherhood / Alison Stone -- Labouring with Beauvoir : In Search of the Embodied Subject in Childbirth / Sara Cohen Shabot -- Simone de Beauvoir on Motherhood and Destiny / Nancy Bauer -- Love -- According to Simone de Beauvoir / Tove Pettersen -- Why is Woman the Other? / Tanella Boni -- Beauvoir's intellectual engagements. Beauvoir and Hegel / Kimberly Hutchings -- Simone de Beauvoir's Relation to Hegel's Absolute / Zeynep Direk -- Beauvoir and Merleau-Ponty / Jennifer McWeeny -- Beauvoir and Merleau-Ponty on Freedom and Authenticity / William Wilkerson -- Beauvoir and the Marxism Question / Sonia Kruks -- Beauvoir Between Structuralism and 'Aleatory Materialism / Eva D. Bahovec -- Unweaving the Threads of Influence : Beauvoir and Sartre / Christine Daigle -- Beyond the Second sex. Beauvoir's Ethics and Political Philosophy. Pyrrhus and Cineas : The Conditions of a Meaningful Life / Kristana Arp -- Separation and Queer Connection in The Ethics of Ambiguity / Laura Hengehold -- Simone de Beauvoir on Violence and Politics / Lori J. Marso -- Why Rape? Lessons from The Second Sex / Debra Bergoffen -- Simone de Beauvoir, Women's Oppression and Existential Freedom / Patricia Hill Collins -- Beauvoir and the Art of Philosophical Fiction. Beauvoir as Literary Writer / Meryl Altman -- Simone de Beauvoir and the Dialectic of Desire in L'Invitèe / Anee van Leeuwen -- Failure of Female Identity in Simone de Beauvoir's Fiction / Shannon M. Mussett -- Power of Literature : Simone de Beauvoir's Les Mandarins and the Metaphysical Novel / Sally J. Scholz -- Beauvoir's Scope : Memory, History, and Age. Beauvoir, Philosophy, and Autobiography / Margaret A. Simons -- Witnessing Self, Witnessing Other in Beauvoir's Life Writings / Ursula Tidd -- Simone de Beauvoir: Women and Philosophy of History / Michel Kail -- Post-War World According to Beauvoir / William McBride -- Afterlives : Beauvoir's Old Age and the Intersections of The Second Sex / Penelope Deutscher -- Beauvoir and contemporary feminism. Race After Beauvoir / Shannon Sullivan -- Who Is the Subject of The Second Sex? Life, Science, and Transmasculine Embodiment in Beauvoir's Chapter on Biology / A. Alexander Antonopoulos -- Misunderstanding in Paris / Karen Vintges -- Beauvoir's Legacy to the Quartiers : The Changing Face of French Feminism / Diane Perpich -- Second Languaging The Second Sex, Its Conceptual Genius : A Translingual Contemporization of On ne nait pas femme: on le devient. / Kyoo Lee. edited by Laura Hengehold and Nancy Bauer. Includes bibliographical references and index. Simone de Beauvoir was a philosopher and writer of notable range and influence whose work is central to feminist theory, French existentialism, and contemporary moral and social philosophy. The essays in this 2003 volume examine all the major aspects of her thought.