The difference that differences make: Asian feminism and the politics of difference

This article reviews feminist reflections on the politics of difference and examines the possibility of Asian feminism and its theoretical ground. I begin this article with a discussion on how a critique of the difference of 'Asian women' under western eyes-a difference that reveals the hierarchy of power-requires us to resist the western gaze. Such resistance can encourage one to explore and to theorize Asian feminism and this process of exploring and theorizing involves a critical reflection on the place of Asia in the multiculturalism-and-feminism debate. I suggest that differentiated universalism, which calls for inclusion of differences as well as universal moral commitment, should serve as the ground for Asian feminism.