從越戰爭議看美國女選民聯盟的和平主義、女性主義與公民行動

Feminism, Pacifism, and Civic Action and the League of Women Voters: The Vietnam War Controversy

俞彥娟(Yen-Chuan Yu)

《近代中國婦女史研究》 17期 (2009/12) Pp. 67-105

https://doi.org/10.6352/mhwomen.200912.0067

摘要

美國女性長期從女性民間團體(voluntary associations)獲得公民教育和訓練，提昇參政能力和機會。美國女選民聯盟(the League of Women voters, LWV)（下面簡稱「聯盟」）爲歷史悠久且重要的婦女團體，相關研究卻不多。聯盟雖來自第一波婦女運動，但自稱不是女性主義團體，因此要瞭解它，應該超越女性主義婦女史研究框架，觀察其他特性，聯盟的公民行動爲其中最爲重要，是支撐聯盟長期存在的重要基礎。
從聯盟的組織架構、運作方式、核心思想和工作哲學，可以初步瞭解女選民聯盟成立的目標和特色。從議題選擇和從事活動，可以看到聯盟的思想傳承和發展方向。從聯盟處理特定議題來觀察，有助於驗證聯盟原則和特色的運作與成效。本文以越戰爭議爲觀察點，檢視聯盟對越戰的回應以及其內部問題。綜觀聯豐的歷史發展，公民行動、女性主義與和平主義爲三個具有代表性的特色。本文將以這三個主題爲架構，首先介紹聯盟的成立與特質；其次說明1960和1970年代聯盟處理越戰爭議的過程；最後分析和平主義、女性主義與公民行動在越戰議題上的展現與意義。

關鍵字

越戰 ； 美國女選民聯盟 ； 公民行動 ； 女性主義 ； 和平主義

並列摘要

In the history of women's political participation in the United States, female voluntary associations have been very important in providing education and training. The League of Women Voters (LWV) is one of these women's organizations. However, it has not received the scholarly attention it deserves. It was founded in 1920 with the goal of educating women to become intelligent and responsible citizens, and it continues to function today. Many historians tend to undervalue the contribution of the League while analyzing it in the framework of contemporary feminism and women's movements. To give the LWV a fair assessment, it is necessary to go beyond this framework and explore other characteristics. In this article, I focus on three themes of the LWV: feminism, pacifism, and civic action.
A direct descendent of the leading organization of first wave American women's movement, the National American Woman Suffrage Association, the LWV claimed that its members were feminists, yet it describes itself not as a feminist organization, but a Citizens’ organization. Thus, in addition to tracing the League's feminist tradition and its definition of feminism, it is crucial to understand the League's civic action. Civic action is composed of civic education and advocacy. Based on its core ideas of representative government and the responsibility of individual citizens to be active and informed participants in the democratic process, the LWV educated and trained many committed women to become politically active and influential.
Inheriting women's organizations’ tradition of pacifism, the LWV opposed most wars except those of justice and liberation. However, during the Vietnam War (1961-1973) period, the LWV was hesitant to oppose this war. When the controversy of the Vietnam War became intensified in American society, so was the tension between proponents and opponents of taking action to oppose the war inside the League. The analysis of the LWV's response to and the internal debates on the Vietnam War offers an opportunity to examine the characteristics and contributions of the League.

並列關鍵字

Vietnam War ； the League of Women Voters of the United States ； feminism ； pacifism ； civic action ； voluntary associations

參考文獻

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