Petra Östergren
Encyclopedia
Anna Cecilia Petra Östergren (September 29, 1965 -) is a Swedish feminist writer, debater, social commentator and an instructor in self defense. She has an MA in Social Anthropology
(University of Stockholm), and is a doctoral student at Lund University
. Her research is titled "The State of Feminism".
. She was active as an instructor in the organisation Pandora kvinnligt försvar (Pandora Women's Defense) and ran the Kung Fu club in the kajukenbo
style in an effort to help women defend themselves against sexual assault. She was involved with the National Organisation for Women’s Shelters and Roks.
She is the author of Slå tillbaka!: Handbok i självförsvar (Fight back!; A handbook of self-defence) published in 1993. She also wrote a book about her mother, who was beaten to death by a man she had had a brief relationship with, entitled Att komma till ro med det allra värsta (Coming to terms with the worst).
magazine in which she questioned whether all pornography was essentially misogynous.
Östergren is considered a major critic of radical feminism
in Sweden. In particular she has challenged their views on sex, violence and power, pointing out that violence in lesbian
relationships did not differ significantly from that in heterosexual relationships. From its origin, Östergren was one of the few people who publicly challenged the radical feminist position on prostitution
which culminated in the sexköpslagen (Sex Purchase Act) 1999. She has been an advocate for the decriminalisation of prostitution. In 2006 she published Porr, horor och feminister (Pornography, whores and other feminists), an analysis of three decades of Swedish policy on pornography
and prostitution, and a critique of radical feminist sexual politics. In 2008 she published an edited volume F-ordet: Mot en ny feminism (The F -word: Towards a new feminism), bringing together writers and commentators to provide new perspectives on old feminist issues.
, LO-tidningen, Expressen
, Aftonbladet
, Axess and Voltaire and regularly gives public talks, and is consulted on prostitution and gender issues.
Social anthropology
Social Anthropology is one of the four or five branches of anthropology that studies how contemporary human beings behave in social groups. Practitioners of social anthropology investigate, often through long-term, intensive field studies , the social organization of a particular person: customs,...
(University of Stockholm), and is a doctoral student at Lund University
Lund University
Lund University , located in the city of Lund in the province of Scania, Sweden, is one of northern Europe's most prestigious universities and one of Scandinavia's largest institutions for education and research, frequently ranked among the world's top 100 universities...
. Her research is titled "The State of Feminism".
Self-defence
Östergren made a name for herself in the 1980s with the launch of feminist self-defense in SwedenSweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
. She was active as an instructor in the organisation Pandora kvinnligt försvar (Pandora Women's Defense) and ran the Kung Fu club in the kajukenbo
Kajukenbo
Kajukenbo is a hybrid martial art that combines Western Boxing, Judo, Jujutsu, Kenpo Karate, Eskrima, Tang Soo Do, and Kung Fu. It was founded in 1947 in Oahu, Hawaii, at the Palama Settlement. The original purpose of the art was to deal with local crime and to help the people defend themselves...
style in an effort to help women defend themselves against sexual assault. She was involved with the National Organisation for Women’s Shelters and Roks.
She is the author of Slå tillbaka!: Handbok i självförsvar (Fight back!; A handbook of self-defence) published in 1993. She also wrote a book about her mother, who was beaten to death by a man she had had a brief relationship with, entitled Att komma till ro med det allra värsta (Coming to terms with the worst).
Sociology and gender politics
Her involvement with teaching men self-defence made her a controversial figure with radical feminists, and the rift became complete when she published an article in BangBang (magazine)
Bang is a Swedish feminist culture magazine. It was started in 1991 by students at Stockholm University. The current editors in chief are Trifa Shakely and Johanna Palmström. The magazine is named after Barbro Alving, whose signature was "Bang". There are four issues per year with a circulation of...
magazine in which she questioned whether all pornography was essentially misogynous.
Östergren is considered a major critic of radical feminism
Radical feminism
Radical feminism is a current theoretical perspective within feminism that focuses on the theory of patriarchy as a system of power that organizes society into a complex of relationships based on an assumption that "male supremacy" oppresses women...
in Sweden. In particular she has challenged their views on sex, violence and power, pointing out that violence in lesbian
Lesbian
Lesbian is a term most widely used in the English language to describe sexual and romantic desire between females. The word may be used as a noun, to refer to women who identify themselves or who are characterized by others as having the primary attribute of female homosexuality, or as an...
relationships did not differ significantly from that in heterosexual relationships. From its origin, Östergren was one of the few people who publicly challenged the radical feminist position on prostitution
Prostitution in Sweden
The laws on prostitution in Sweden make it illegal to buy sexual services, but not to sell them. Pimping, procuring and operating a brothel are also illegal...
which culminated in the sexköpslagen (Sex Purchase Act) 1999. She has been an advocate for the decriminalisation of prostitution. In 2006 she published Porr, horor och feminister (Pornography, whores and other feminists), an analysis of three decades of Swedish policy on pornography
Pornography
Pornography or porn is the explicit portrayal of sexual subject matter for the purposes of sexual arousal and erotic satisfaction.Pornography may use any of a variety of media, ranging from books, magazines, postcards, photos, sculpture, drawing, painting, animation, sound recording, film, video,...
and prostitution, and a critique of radical feminist sexual politics. In 2008 she published an edited volume F-ordet: Mot en ny feminism (The F -word: Towards a new feminism), bringing together writers and commentators to provide new perspectives on old feminist issues.
Work
In addition to her books, Östergren writes regularly for newspapers and magazines, including Svenska DagbladetSvenska Dagbladet
Svenska Dagbladet is a daily newspaper in Sweden. The first issue appeared on 18 December 1884. Svenska Dagbladet is published in Stockholm and provides coverage of national and international news as well as local coverage of the Greater Stockholm region...
, LO-tidningen, Expressen
Expressen
Expressen is one of two nationwide evening tabloid newspapers in Sweden, the other being Aftonbladet. Expressen was founded in 1944; its symbol is a wasp and slogans "it stings" or "Expressen to your rescue", always on the reader's side....
, Aftonbladet
Aftonbladet
Aftonbladet is a Swedish tabloid founded by Lars Johan Hierta in 1830 during the modernization of Sweden. It is one of the larger daily newspapers in the Nordic countries. Aftonbladet is owned by the Swedish Trade Union Confederation and Norwegian media group Schibsted, and its editorial page...
, Axess and Voltaire and regularly gives public talks, and is consulted on prostitution and gender issues.
Books
- Slå tillbaka!: handbok i självförsvar för kvinnor Natur och Kultur, 1993. Revised 1998
- Att komma till ro med det allra värsta, Natur och Kultur, 1996
- Porr, horor och feminister, Natur och Kultur, 2006
- Review
- Tiden har kommit ikapp Petra Östergren. FriaTidningen Nov 20 2006
- F-ordet. Mot en ny feminism, Alfabeta, 2008
- Berättelsen om Esmara, (The Story of Esmara) Piratförlaget, 2010
- Tiden har kommit ikapp Petra Östergren. FriaTidningen Nov 20 2006
- Reviews
Articles
- Brave New Man. Axess February 2010
- http://www.petraostergren.com/upl/files/54259.pdfThe Swedish Sex Purchase Act: Claimed Success and Documented Effects. S DodilletSusanne Dodillet- Education :Dodillet earned a master's degree in cultural education from the University of Hildesheim in Germany and a PhD in the history of ideas from the University of Gothenburg in 2009.Her doctoral thesis Är sex arbete?...
, P Östagren. May 2011]