Feminist Foreign Policy as a Case of Governance Feminism: Neoliberalism, Militarism, and Women as “Agents of Change”

Abstract A growing number of Western states are positioning feminism as the path to a more peaceful and prosperous world. In this article, we examine Canada's feminist foreign policy agenda as an instance of governance feminism, whereby the normative commitment to gender equality is pursued by governing women's agency. We conduct a qualitative discursive analysis of eleven key policy documents spanning development, peace, and security and trade, unpacking how expanding roles for women are framed as the solution to both gender inequality and a range of global issues. Although feminist foreign policy could improve the lives of some, it largely adopts the universalizing conceits of liberal feminism, rendering it blind to diversity and inequality among women and gender-diverse persons within and beyond Canada. By focusing on guiding individual action, Canada's feminist policies distract from broader global politico-economic structures that “agents of change” confront while also sustaining global hierarchies and militarism.