Silvia Federici is a scholar and political philosopher whose work centers on Marxist feminist theory and the historical development of capitalism. Born in Parma in 1942, she later established her academic and activist career in the United States. Her intellectual contributions, notably regarding the history of the commons and gender-based violence, remain influential in contemporary sociology and political philosophy.
Academic and Professional Background
Federici received her education at the University of Bologna and the University at Buffalo, where she arrived in 1967 as a Fulbright scholar to pursue a Ph.D. in philosophy. Her teaching career included a tenure at the University of Port Harcourt in Nigeria between 1984 and 1987. She eventually joined Hofstra University in New York, where she served as a Professor of Political Philosophy and International Studies. She currently holds the title of Professor Emerita at the institution.
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In 1972, Federici co-founded the International Feminist Collective, an organization that initiated the campaign for Wages for Housework. She published the pamphlet Wages Against Housework in 1975, which became a foundational text for the movement. Throughout her career, she participated in various organizations, including the Midnight Notes Collective and the Committee for Academic Freedom in Africa, which she co-founded in 1990. During the 1990s, she also co-led the Anti-Death Penalty Project, advocating for the release of Mumia Abu-Jamal.
Scholarly Contributions to Political Philosophy
Federici is known for her 2004 book, Caliban and the Witch: Women, the Body and Primitive Accumulation. In this work, she analyzes the early modern period, arguing that capitalism relies on the systematic appropriation of women's unpaid reproductive labor. She suggests that the persecution of women as witches was a deliberate attempt to subjugate them and dismantle communal social structures. Her research frames contemporary global economic policies, such as those of the International Monetary Fund, as a continuation of primitive accumulation and the privatization of common resources.
Fast facts
- Born: 1942, Parma, Italy
- Citizenship: United States and Italy
- Key Academic Post: Professor Emerita, Hofstra University
- Notable Book: Caliban and the Witch (2004)
- Collaborators: Mariarosa Dalla Costa, Selma James, George Caffentzis
- Primary Fields: Political Philosophy, Sociology, Gender Studies
- Residence: Park Slope, Brooklyn
- Languages: Italian and English
Questions readers ask
What is the focus of Federici’s research on capitalism?
She argues that capitalism requires a constant appropriation of unpaid labor, particularly from women, and views primitive accumulation as a fundamental, ongoing characteristic of the system rather than a historical precursor.
What was the Wages for Housework campaign?
Launched in the early 1970s by an international collective, the movement sought to recognize domestic labor as a form of productive work essential to the capitalist economy.
Achievements
- Notable work: Caliban and the Witch
- Held posts at University of Port Harcourt and Hofstra University
- Fields: sociology, gender studies and political philosophy
