Translated Book - Se défendre
 
The second series of the Institute of Body and Culture's translation books, Se défendre,
shows the beginning of a feminist revolutionary ethic suggested by French feminist philosopher,
Elsa Dorlin. This book, which explains how the use of violence has historically been confiscated
to women and why non-violence has been regarded essential to women, is explained through
the lineage of the historical minority movement. Also, while maintaining distance from the existing
mainstream feminist ethics of 'caring heart and harmony', through a new horizon of feminist ethics
as militant protection and total self-ethics and self-concern, the book argues, as well, that we still
need more time for hammering down our father's house.
 
Moreover, Dorlin clearly analyzes (and then de-constructs) the three logics of feminist ideology
regarding violence - the definition of non-violence as inseparable from femininity, the logic stating
that the use of violence stems from collaborating with the patriarchy, and that it is futile for women
to resist male violence (as it causes more violence from men). While calling for a strong criticism,
Dorlin suggests that women draw the ideological grounds from social contract theory and anarchist
ideology for their just cause of using violence. In this way, the belligerent and combative self-ethics
and self-defense strategies Dorlin proposes will work as a starting theory for the female revolution
to break the structure of violence that the male ruler has monopolized.
 

 
Acknowledgements                                                                                                            4
 
Prologue: Things the Body Can Do                                                                                   6
 
Mass Production of Disarmed Bodies                                                                                33
 
A Brief History of Weapon Carrying /
Disarming Slaves and Natives: The Right to Kill the Unprotected Subjects /
Combative Torment: The Slave's Self-defense Culture /
The Black Power of the Empire: Long Live the Patriarch, Long Live France!
 
Self-defense, National Defense                                                                                        85
 
To Die for Your Country / Women, Arm Yourself!: Battles of the Amazons /
Female Militia or the Defense of the Capital? / Hand-to-hand Warfare and Anti-nationalism
 
Wills of Self-defense                                                                                                     135
 
Death by Fighting: The Warsaw Ghetto Uprising / Self-Defense as a National Doctrine  /
Genealogy of Krav Maga
 
Non-Exclusiveness of Government or Self-Defense                                                           173
 
Hobbs or Locke, Two Philosophy of Self-Defense / Revenge: Militia and Judicial Cooperatives /
Birth of a Vigilist or Racial State
 
White Justice                                                                                                                213
 
From Lynch to Self Defense: A Lie Sewn with White Thread / We Must Protect Women
 
Self-defense: Power to the People!                                                                                    239
 
Ending Non-violence: Arm Yourself or Die! / Black Panther: Political Revolutionary Self Defense
 
Self-defense and Safety                                                                                                  281
 
Be safe! / The Politics of Self-Defense and Anger / From Revenge to Empowerment
 
Responding                                                                                                                  315
 
Unprotected State / Phenomenology of Prey /
Epistemology of Caring for Others and Negative Caring/Concerning
 
Translator's Word                                                                                                          367