Post-conventional approaches to gender, climate change and social justice

This chapter explores the inadequacies of conventional paradigms and argues the case for a sustained effort to build post-conventional theory in relation to gender, social justice and the environment. Drawing on the work of key post-structural feminists a post-conventional framework is explored. It is argued that while significant theorising has been done in reconceptualising these issues, there is need to maintain a focus on abstract theory and to sustain the momentum of the paradigmatic shift from conventional approaches in order to effectively re-imagine the foundations of social theory. Further, if this momentum is not sustained, neglect in theory-building at the ontological level could contribute to ongoing oppression. Without reimagining and articulating a post-conventional foundation, there is a risk - by default or design - that we draw on an inappropriate and fundamentally oppressive ontology.