Vol. 10 No. 1 (2025): The philosophical feminism of Celia Amorós

In this special issue we present seven articles and a review on the philosopher Celia Amorós, written by some of her disciples, with the aim of describing the most important aspects of her thought. Her work fuses theory and praxis, as befits a work carried out from critical theory, in which conceptual rigor and the rejection of well-trodden paths mark her discourse.

This article reviews and exposes some of the contributions of the philosopher Celia Amorós to contemporary thought. It focuses on the contributions and influence of her book Tiempo de Feminismo, published in 1997. This is the work that brings together in the most complete and systematic way her theses on the legacy of the Enlightenment, and the inadequacies and problems of postmodernity and weak thought to meet the demands of feminism in a fairer and shared world. Two are the most relevant conclusions of the article. That this work provides feminism with a sound foundation from which to approach dialogue with the different currents of contemporary thought without falling into successive servitudes and ruinous alliances; and that such theoretical clarity and strength explain, in part, the entrenchment and influence of the feminist agenda in Spain and Latin America.

This article focuses on a book by Cèlia Amorós that is less well known than others: Sören Kierkegaard or the subjectivity of the gentleman. Our philosopher's analysis of the work of this pioneering thinker of existentialism is an extraordinarily valuable contribution to the understanding of the contemporary crisis of meaning. From a feminist point of view, she shows that the man of existential anguish is the emergent of the patriarchal or genealogical crisis that produces uprooted individuals who have lost the certainty of traditional norms as a result of the enlightened critique and a new economic, social and political order.

From the perspective of the "fabric that envelops us" today, a (re)reading of Celia Amorós' philosophical and political analysis of women and globalisation (2008) is presented. Following the pink "threads" and the "stitching" of the violet and the red, it examines her proposal for a re-edition of the Theory of "dual systems" (capitalism/patriarchy, production/reproduction) and the specificity of capitalist patriarchy in the global era (work, wages, the maquila and the feminicides of Ciudad Juárez). In the light of the changes that have taken place since 2008 and the problems of our complex current situation, it points to the need to continue stitching from feminist theory.

The following text focuses on the work of Cèlia Amorós Ilustration veins. Reflections on Feminism and Islam (2009). It beguins with an introduction of the importance of Cèlia Amorós’ work in the teaching of the Philosophy to continue with same consideration on the strength of the religion in our time and its different ways of manifesting and influencing society, sometimes in a subtle way as is the case in our country with the role given to religion in Secondary Education; secondly, It shows the dialogue that Amorós establishes with a broad Arab-Muslim tradition that can be qualified as enlightened; thirdly, It raises the concepts of identity and subjectivity with the help of other analyses on the subject, such as those of Almudena Hernando; fourthly, It reviews the controversy over the use the veil; and finally, as a conclusion, It outlines an exercise of shadow projection or translation of her ideas of the search of veins as an engine to rethink a History Philosophy of the baccalaureate that emphasizes this search for rationality in cultural manifestations.

This article analyzes the conceptual concerns of Celia Amorós in her book Towards a Critique of Patriarchal Reason based on a common thread: the symbolic equivalence between the pairs man-culture and woman-nature, present in every patriarchal ideology, as confirms the structuralist analysis of Lévi-Strauss, it is manifested uncritically both in key authors of the Western philosophical canon and in the narrative of the so-called feminisms of difference. The author breaks down the multiple semantic chains of this symbolic equivalence and shows both the incongruity that its conceptual reproduction entails, as well as the serious political implications that a feminism of equality allows us to highlight and combat.

Keywords: feminist criticism; man-culture::woman-nature; structural anthropology; patriarchal philosophy; feminism of difference

Celia Amorós' philosophical feminism is built through a constant dialogue with the broad feminist social movement and various theories about women's oppression. In this process, a method is identified that includes genealogy, dialogue with other social movements, the assumed binary regime that governs sex and the verification of the existence of an emancipatory feminism.

On the occassion of sexual difference topic which was enlarged and magnified for certain philosophical currents anti- enlightened, Amorós revisites and reelaborates key points of the actual feminist theory as the subjet, identity and the empowerment of women. Award Essays 2006, this work can be one of the author´s most elaborated.

interview

The article addresses the controversies and opportunities that digitalization brings for the advancement of women in Sub-Saharan Africa. Digitalization could have an impact on women's access to financial, educational and health services, among others, but it also entails risks by reproducing inequalities and exploitative practices (e.g. the control of infrastructures by foreign companies). The research is carried out in the framework of the project “Digital transition, social cohesion and gender equality: mobile banking and digital female empowerment in Africa” (DIGITALFEM) which explores these phenomena in Guinea-Bissau and Tanzania, investigating the impact of mobile technologies and digital banking on women's empowerment. We conclude that, for digitalization to be truly inclusive and have potential for equality, it must not only contemplate local dynamics, respect cultural diversities and promote female autonomy, through digital literacy and the promotion of socio-emotional skills, in the face of global power structures, but also be socio-culturally compatible.

The sex market is a cultural and economic product created by men for male consumption. From this perspective, it is of great importance to study the sex trade, focusing on sex buyers. This study carries out a review of the studies that have been published in the last 20 years on sex buyers in Western contexts. The objectives of the study were to explore the prevalence of the use of prostitution in the male population, the average age and the characteristics of the first access; analyze the profile of sex buyers; explore the motivations and attitudes for consumption; analyze men's sex buying habits and the use of pornography; and describe the legislative framework on prostitution in Spain and its relationship with the purchase of sex. The analysis of the collected studies show that about 25% of men in Western countries have bought sex at some point, with the age of first access to prostitution being between 18 and 22 years old. Often the buyers of sex have a partner and the number of partners throughout life increases in those men who buy sex. Men with low levels of education declare to make greater use of prostitution. The most common motivation is the possibility of performing sexual practices that would not be accepted in the couple. As for the most requested sexual practices, those that clearly put women at risk stand out. The consumption of prostitution in Spain presents higher figures in flats compared to other European countries. Pornography and prostitution are two closely related phenomena. Spanish legislation does not protect prostituted women contributing to the increase in demand.

Review: Amorós Puente, Celia (2014). Salomón no era sabio. Madrid: Editorial Fundamentos

The review analyzes the most significant contributions of Professor San Segundo's monograph on the legal approach to incest for current legal dogmatics. It is critical of the current legal situation, highlights the challenges posed to the legal discourse, and proposes a critical review of the proposals articulated by Professor San Segundo.