Serene Khader

Serene J. Khader is an American philosopher and feminist theorist who holds the position of Professor and Jay Newman Chair in the Philosophy of Culture at Brooklyn College, City University of New York, and also at the CUNY Graduate Center. Her scholarly pursuits primarily lie in the domains of political philosophy, moral psychology, feminist philosophy, global justice, and development ethics. In April 2017, she achieved a significant milestone by being elected vice-president of the Human Development and Capabilities Association. A substantial portion of her academic work is dedicated to exploring decolonial, transnational, postcolonial, and global feminisms. She actively engages with the universalism versus relativism debate, asserting that it is possible to challenge gender oppression globally without positing Western culture as the definitive model. Khader has gained recognition for her contributions to understanding autonomy and agency in contexts of oppression. She posits that relational conceptions of autonomy inadvertently reinforce oppression by subjecting women to unwarranted paternalism. She applies these arguments to situations involving women in the Global South who are perceived as having "adaptive preferences." Khader argues that what may appear as women internalizing their oppression are, in fact, pragmatic adaptations to unjust circumstances. She further elucidates why women who have internalized oppression should still be included in decisions concerning interventions aimed at improving their lives and communities. Additionally, Khader debunks the notion that microfinance programs effectively empower women in the developing world. Drawing on the work of scholars like Marilyn Waring, she contends that women are not merely an underutilized resource but are, in reality, already overextended. She emphasizes that greater recognition must be given to the unpaid labor they already perform, rather than burdening them with additional entrepreneurial responsibilities.