The Female Citizen

This lecture deals with the place of women in contemporary politics. It focuses particularly on the issue of child benefit and examines how the voices, needs and wishes of women have been represented in the handling of the matter. It also examines the way in which the use of language has affected the rights and standing of women in government and society. The word "citizen" itself, although apparently a neutral one has a very different meaning for men and women. The lecture explores the meaning of the word for women.