Women, Families, and Feminist Politics: A Global Exploration

by Garner; J Dianne

• ISBN13: 9780789004826
• ISBN10: 0789004828
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 1998-09-24
• Publisher: Routledge

Summary

Women and their roles within families must be understood within the context of ethnic traditions, religion, and culture. Women, Families, and Feminist Politics: A Global Exploration combines all of these aspects to evaluate the similarities and differences of women around the world. Readers will learn about diverse theories relating to women and their familial roles, the different categories of feminism, and how cultures and ethnic traditions shape and sometimes restrict a woman's identity. Using feminist and sociocultural theories to critically examine the role of adult women within their families, Women, Families, and Feminist Politics offers ideas and suggestions on what has to be done in order for all of women's experiences and concerns to be valued and looked upon as important. In addition to providing you with an understanding of how customs and cultures contribute to societal standards set for women, Women, Families, and Feminist Politics discusses several factors that contribute to the formation of women's roles and identity, including: the economic situation of the family and the country in which the woman lives (a developed or developing country) cultural diversity in monogamous heterosexual marriage relations and specific marriage traditions, such as dowries family structures, such as nonnuclear, extended, polygamous, mixed religion relationships, mixed race relationships, or same-sex relationships reproduction and sexual standards in relation to religion, government policies, and world population gender equity in the workplace and programs for women in global development the health care needs of women and how they vary depending on culture, political philosophies, and resources women and violence in societal and family contexts, from war rapes, female circumcision, and footbinding to battery and sexual harassment Women, Families, and Feminist Politics looks at the daily challenges and concerns of adult women within the context of family to help you understand the different needs of women in relation to their culture and ethnic background. Focusing on the importance of views concerning the meaning of women's social status, power, and success, Women, Families, and Feminist Politics contains case studies and statistical data that identify critical issues pertaining to you personally and to all women throughout the world. By understanding how women's families help shape their identities, you will be able to learn about the vast experiences of women and the inequalities we have yet to overcome.

Table of Contents

About the Authors	ix
Introduction	1	(16)
Women, Cultural Change, and Cultural Debate	2	(1)
Ethnocentrism, Cultural Relativism, and the Feminist Perspective	3	(3)
The Promise of Global Feminism	6	(1)
Challenges to Global Feminism	7	(2)
The Realities of Women Connecting to Women	9	(2)
Overview of Chapters	11	(4)
Key Words	15	(2)
Chapter 1. Marriage and Family Formation	17	(30)
Do "Masculine" and "Feminine" Roles Create Inequality Within Marriage Relationships?	18	(3)
The Impact of Age on Marital Patterns	21	(2)
How Are Bride-Prices/Wealth and Dowries Related to Women's Marital Experience?	23	(6)
Meeting Mr. Right	29	(2)
Marriage Rites and Ceremonies	31	(5)
What Does Love Have to Do with It?	36	(1)
Marital Dissolution: Has Liberal Divorce Legilation Helped or Harmed Women?	36	(6)
Remarriage	42	(2)
Summary	44	(1)
Key Words	45	(2)
Chapter 2. Diversity Within Family Formation	47	(22)
Defining Families	47	(1)
Simple Households	48	(10)
Intercultural, Interracial, and Interreligous Coupling	58	(3)
Multiple-Family Households	61	(4)
Vertical and Horizontal Complexity Within Family Life	65	(1)
Summary	66	(2)
Key Words	68	(1)
Chapter 3. Population, Reproduction, Sexuality and Women's Status	69	(36)
How Are Women's Lives Connected to the Population Explosion?	69	(2)
What Are the Consequences of Unchecked Population?	71	(2)
Cultural Norms, Gender Roles, and Fertility	73	(3)
What Is the Relationship Between Women's Status and Fertility?	76	(1)
The Diversity and Controversy of Sexual Norms	77	(1)
Sexual Scripts-Cross-Culturally	78	(4)
Are Private Choices About Sexuality and Fertility Affected by Religious Ideals?	82	(1)
Islam: A Case Study	83	(1)
Sexuality, Feminism, and Reproductive Technology: Historical Roots	84	(3)
The Evolution of International Population Conferences	87	(1)
The 1994 Conference	88	(2)
National Population Policies and Women's Lives	90	(6)
Providing Effective Family Planning Programs	96	(3)
Successful Programs Designed for and by Women	99	(2)
Summary	101	(2)
Key Words	103	(2)
Chapter 4. Women and Work Worldwide	105	(34)
Women's Work	105	(1)
Real Work and Perceptions of Work	105	(2)
Including Women in International Economic Activity	107	(10)
The Global Assembly Line	117	(5)
Women's Official Labor Force Participation	122	(2)
Balancing Work and Family	124	(2)
Educational and Training Inequities	126	(2)
Higher Education	128	(1)
Role Models in Education	129	(1)
Gender Segregation of the Labor Force	130	(1)
Prejudice, Stereotypes, and Discrimination	131	(2)
Encouraging Trends	133	(2)
Future Challenges	135	(1)
Summary	136	(1)
Key Words	137	(2)
Chapter 5. Women and Health Care	139	(32)
Introduction	139	(4)
Case Studies	143	(1)
Health Care for Zimbabwean Women	144	(12)
Health Care in Norway	156	(5)
Women and Health Care in Cuba	161	(5)
Responding to Women's Health Needs	166	(3)
Summary	169	(1)
Key Words	170	(1)
Chapter 6. Women and Violence	171	(38)
What Is the Relationship Between Ideology, Gender, and Violence?	171	(2)
Do the Roles Women Assume During War Lead to Liberation?	173	(3)
How Do the Economics of War Affect Women?	176	(1)
Women's Lives Destroyed by War	177	(1)
What Conditions Face Women Refugees?	178	(2)
Why Do Men Rape During Wartime?	180	(2)
How Does Prostitution Contribute to Gender Violence During Wartime?	182	(4)
Female Sexual Slavery: Prostitution and Sex Tourism	186	(1)
How Has Global Economic Inequality Contributed to Sex Tourism and Trafficking in Women?	186	(2)
Structural Violence Against Women	188	(6)
Battered Women: Can Safety Begin at Home?	194	(4)
Sexual Harassment: Can Women Be Comfortable in the Public World?	198	(3)
Rape	201	(2)
Can Violence Against Women Be Eliminated?	203	(2)
Summary	205	(2)
Key Words	207	(2)
Conclusions	209	(4)
Backlash/Rollbacks	210	(1)
Diversity and Sisterhood	210	(1)
Women's Leadership and the Future	211	(1)
A Bridge to the Future	211	(2)
Notes	213	(12)
Glossary	225	(8)
Bibliography	233	(16)
Index	249