Publishers Weekly
12/04/2023
In this hopeful treatise, philosopher Segal (Radical Happiness) draws on recent decades of feminist theory and activism to present a corrective vision of the human condition as based not in individual autonomy, but rather in mutual dependence. Arguing that economies and societies should be structured around “collective care”—as should the political activism that makes these goals possible—Segal traces the socialist feminist theory in which she grounds her critique from its heyday in the 1970s, through the period when it was largely sidelined by an “aspirational feminism” more focused on giving some women better access to capitalist power (which effectively outsourced much care work to poorer women of color), to current-day revivals of more militant and activist feminism, especially in the Global South. She touches on other care-related topics, including motherhood, aging, and environmental concerns (she cautions that the idea of nature as aligned with women’s inherent nurturing allows both to be more easily exploited). Segal arrives at a guarded hopefulness that what she frames as care-based movements, such as Black Lives Matter and prison abolitionism, will nudge society toward “placing care and kindness at the heart of our politics.” Throughout, Segal provides intriguing historical insight onto radical feminist politics alongside visions for its potential future. The result is an optimistic and invigorating take on a popular strand of leftist thinking. (Nov.)
From the Publisher
"Lean on Me contains crucial lessons, from one of the most important figures of the British Women's Liberation Movement, for our contemporary politics. Our dependence on the care of others, Lynne Segal reminds us, is not just an inescapable requirement of human life, but moreover the ultimate source of its meaning."
—Amia Srinivasan, author of The Right to Sex
"Both memoir and manifesto, this wonderful book charts a personal history of feminist socialism - and, with her usual humane wisdom, our author points the way to a better politics."
—Baroness Helena Kennedy of the Shaws KC
"Such a powerful, honest and passionate account of a life lived with and for others, one that cuts right through the ideology of the singular individualist. Interdependence is how we thrive and survive and Lynne Segal shows how we do this daily over a lifetime. A wonderfully warm, vivid, compassionate book. A model for us all."
—Bev Skeggs, Professor, Sociology, University of Lancaster
"Draws on a lifetime of effervescent political and intellectual engagement. Blending moving memoir with interdisciplinary analysis, Lynne Segal teaches, entertains and inspires us to rethink dependency, socialise our resources and re-enchant our worlds. Magnificent!"
—Jo Littler, author of Left Feminisms
"Drawing on a long and rich life of activism and intellectual work, Segal now turns her forensic gaze to one of the most pressing themes of our age: how we care for each other. Examining her subject through the prism of modern capitalism, our ravaged planet and the rise of populism, Segal is clear that radical solutions are urgently needed. Only these will allow us to reaffirm our human interdependence and provide recognition, care and support, particularly to those most in need."
—Melissa Benn, author of Life Lessons
"[Segal] remains hopeful that a more caring future is possible ... In an age of increasing despair about the welfare state, an empowering message can go a long way."
—Amy Hall, New Internationalist
"A first-hand account of a life spent invoking the power of the collective."
—Rachel Andrews, Irish Times
"Segal is clear that the fight for a more compassionate society requires some major political changes ... These are not abstractions, but ideas rooted in movements for fairer pay, democratically run services and climate justice. Segal urges us to link them up and amplify them - it's sound advice."
—Mike Phipps, Labour Hub
"Segal provides intriguing historical insight onto radical feminist politics alongside visions for its potential future. The result is an optimistic and invigorating take on a popular strand of leftist thinking."
—Publishers Weekly
"Necessary reading in an age of toxic hyper-individualism."
—Kirkus Reviews
Kirkus Reviews
2023-08-23
A British-based Australian feminist examines the social importance of building interdependence.
Since the 1980s, dependence—and in particular, dependence on the welfare state—has been demonized. In her latest book, Segal, author of numerous books on feminism, sexuality, and politics, examines how the neoliberal exaltation of individual achievement that has since come to dominate global systems has also created ever-widening gaps between rich and poor. She begins by considering the situation of mothers, who have always been the main social caretakers and also the ones most likely to bear the brunt of contractions in the economy and welfare system. The author concludes that unless society does not move away from “obeisance to the traditional family” to create better forms of social support and care, gender inequality—which too often equates to economic disparity—will continue. The author believes that we can build back into the socioeconomic system a greater ethic of care by rethinking educational practices. Rather than helping build connections between people, education at all levels now focuses on hierarchies, managerialism, and “extensive commercialized competitiveness,” all of which reinforce neoliberal individualism. Campaigns to raise and maintain social awareness about the inevitability of either impairment or the frailties of age could also assist in better care. Segal sees these types of changes as necessary not just for the creation of a more humane society, but also because heightened consciousness of interdependence is required to restore the natural balance that the extractive nature of capitalism has destroyed. “When it comes to understanding the climate crisis,” she writes, “we are all connected”—what happens to global ecology affects all humans. Timely, well-researched, and carefully argued, this book will appeal to those interested in feminist scholarship as well as anyone seeking insights into the relationship between socioeconomic inequality and the current ecological emergency that threatens us all.
Necessary reading in an age of toxic hyper-individualism.
