Towards a Feminist Peace?

Oana Nițu

Abstract:

This theoretical essay reviews the different strands of literature on positive peace, problematising its lack of engagement with feminist theory, despite discussing ideals such as inclusion and non-domination, which are very close to the feminist ethos. I show how different conceptualisations of positive peace – continuous, local, and relational – serve as a starting ground for envisioning feminist peace (or feminist peaces). The continuity of peace is synonymous with the resistance of feminist activists and scholars, as there is no end point to either peace or activism. Local peace permits the affectual interpretation of women’s daily experiences, allowing for the valorisation of some of our strongest feelings. Relational peace introduces a space of non-domination and inclusion, which feminists have long strived for – a communion. My aim in this article is to show how we can normatively and empirically devise a version of positive peace whose focus is to better women’s lives, and to question that idea that peace is only necessary after war.

Nitu_2025_Towards a Feminist Peace.pdf

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