Her examination centres on the work of Martha Nussbaum, the late Susan Moller Okin (1946–2004) and the late Jean Hampton (1954–1996) all of whom situate themselves within the liberal tradition and outline well developed positions on the compatibility of feminism and liberalism.
Abbey examines why, and in what ways, each of them believes that liberalism contains the normative and political resources for the continuing improvement of women's situations.
Abbey also brings out and tries to explain and evaluate the differences among these three feminist-liberals, despite their shared allegiance to this tradition.
Her analysis provides insights on Nietzsche's morality touching on issues such as friendship, gender, marriage, egoism, pity and politics.
One reviewer, writing in The Review of Metaphysics, called Nietzsche’s Middle Period a "well researched...synopsis of Nietzsche's works from 1878 to 1882," the aim of which "is to defend the distinctiveness, as well as the 'superior worth', of this neglected phase of Nietzsche's development..."[2] Since 2003 she has managed an extensive online resource, supported by the University of Kent and the British Academy, for the works by and about Charles Taylor.