Revisiting Feminist International Relations Theory: Reconfiguring Gender, Power, and Global Governance in the 21st Century

This article revisits Feminist International Relations (IR) theory in light of profound transformations in global governance in the twenty-first century. While mainstream IR paradigms- realism, liberalism, and institutionalism- have historically framed international politics as state-centric and gender-neutral, feminist scholars have exposed the deeply gendered foundations of global power structures. This study critically evaluates the evolution of feminist IR from its foundational critiques of militarized masculinity to contemporary engagements with intersectionality, neoliberal globalization, and global governance institutions such as the United Nations. The article argues that gender is not an auxiliary analytical category but a constitutive dimension of international political order. Although feminist interventions have reshaped debates on security, peacebuilding, and representation, persistent structural hierarchies continue to constrain transformative change. By synthesizing classical feminist IR scholarship with emerging global challenges- including digital diplomacy, securitization, and multipolarity- this article proposes a renewed theoretical agenda for feminist IR. It concludes that feminist theory must move beyond inclusionary frameworks toward structural reconfiguration of global power relations.