Women typically do not remain passive spectators during a war, nor are they always its innocent victims; instead, they frequently take on new roles and responsibilities, participating in military and political struggles and building new networks in order to obtain needed resources for their families. Consequently, while civil war imposes tremendous burdens on women, it often contributes to the    More >

Long-neglected as a topic of study by sociologists, historians, and economists, the status of women in Africa is here examined by a group of well-known Africanists. Raising questions about the relationship of gender stratification to class formation, this compilation of essays focuses on such issues as the relationship of female solidarity to class consciousness, politics and female class action,    More >

Since 1916, when the first woman was elected to the US Congress, fewer than 10 percent of all members have been women. Why is this number so extraordinarily small? And how has the presence of women in the electoral arena changed over the past hundred years? Barbara Palmer and Dennis Simon combine a rich analytical narrative, data on nearly 40,000 candidates, and colorful stories from the campaign    More >

This new edition of Women and Development in Africa incorporates the results of more than a decade of new empirical and theoretical research. Michael Kevane provides a broad overview of the sources of underdevelopment in Africa and the role of gender in economic transactions, as well as a cogent analysis of the gendered realities of such issues as land rights, the control of labor, the marriage    More >

This volume focuses on gender and education in sub-Saharan Africa, considering in particular the impact formal and nonformal education have had on African women. A variety of country studies illustrate current theoretical debates in three key areas: postcolonial influences on the forms of education that are privileged; human-capital, socialist-feminist, and post-modern perspectives on the    More >

What unique challenges do women face as they seek and attain high-ranking positions in the executive branches of government? How can these challenges be overcome? Is there an established "pipeline" to office, or must women find their own ways to achieve power? Is there any relationship between gender and job performance? Addressing these questions, the authors of Women and Executive    More >

This book examines the portrayal of women in film, as well as their involvement in the medium—as film-makers, screenwriters, actresses, critics, and characters. Distinguished North American and British scholars and film critics examine films such as Cukor's Women, Wilder's Sunset Boulevard, and Benton's Kramer vs. Kramer. Also included are articles on Jane Fonda, Marguerite    More >

This original work assesses the impact of globalization on women in Middle Eastern societies. To explore the gendered effects of social change, the authors examine trends within, as well as among, states in the region.   Detailed case studies reveal the mixed results of global pressures. For some women, for example, globalization has meant increased access to education and employment; for    More >

Why have women remained marginalized in Chilean politics, even within a context of democratization? Addressing this question, Susan Franceschet traces women's political activism in the country—from the early twentieth century struggles for suffrage to current efforts to expand and deepen the practice of democracy. Franceschet highlights the gendered nature of political participation in    More >

The Congressional Caucus for Women's Issues (CCWI) was the most effective bipartisan organization in the House—until changes wrought by the "Republican revolution" of 1994 threatened its very survival. Irwin Gertzog analyzes the origin, development, and influence of the CCWI and explores how the women associated with it have emerged from near oblivion to reassert their role in    More >