Women's & Gender Studies

Australian feminist philosopher Val Plumwood coined the term "critical ecofeminism" to "situate humans in ecological terms and non-humans in ethical terms," for "the two tasks are interconnected, and cannot be addressed properly in isolation from each other." Variously using the terms "critical ecological feminism," "critical anti-dualist ecological feminism," and "critical ecofeminism," Plumwood's work developed amid a range of perspectives describing feminist intersections with ecopolitical issues--i.e., toxic production and toxic wastes, indigenous sovereignty, global economic justice, species justice, colonialism and dominant masculinity. Well over a decade before the emergence of posthumanist theory and the new materialisms, Plumwood's critical ecofeminist framework articulates an implicit posthumanism and respect for the animacy of all earthothers, exposing the linkages among diverse forms of oppression, and providing a theoretical basis for further activist coalitions and interdisciplinary scholarship. Had Plumwood lived another ten years, she might have described her work as "Anthropocene Ecofeminism," "Critical Material Ecofeminism," "Posthumanist Anticolonial Ecofeminism"--all of these inflections are present in her work. Here, Critical Ecofeminism advances upon Plumwood's intellectual, activist, and scholarly work by exploring its implications for a range of contemporary perspectives and issues--critical animal studies, plant studies, sustainability studies, environmental justice, climate change and climate justice, masculinities and sexualities. With the insights available through a critical ecofeminism, these diverse eco-justice perspectives become more robust.

Written by one of the leading thinkers in environmentalism, Earthcare brings together Merchant's existing work on the topic of women and the environment as well as updated and new essays. Earthcare looks at age-old historical associations of women with nature, beginning with Eve and continuing through to environmental activists of today, women's commitment to environmental conservation, and the problematic assumptions of women as caregivers and men as dominating nature.

..". provides readers with a much-needed cross-cultural and multidisciplinary perspective on ecofeminist activism and scholarship." Iris ..". a very important contribution to the literature on ecological feminism." Ethics "I think the unique collection of so many different perspectives will help to push readers out of their disciplinary views and work to bring theory and practice together in meaningful ways.... an excellent resource for scholars and teachers..." Teaching Philosophy Here the potential strengths and weaknesses of the growing ecofeminist movement are critically assessed by scholars in a variety of academic disciplines and vocations, including anthropology, biology, chemical engineering, education, political science, recreation and leisure studies, sociology, and political organizing."

This anthology situates the cultural and literary theories of ecofeminism in an interdisciplinary and global dialogue. It brings ecofeminism into conversation with several areas of inquiry, including ecocriticism, postcolonialism, geography, environmental law, religion, geoengineering, systems thinking, family therapy, and environmental justice.

Here feminist philosophers and ecofeminist scholars pursue the connections between feminism and environmentalism. Topics include the ecofeminist ethic; the role of patriarchal concepts in perpetuating the domination of women and nature; the grassroots origins and character of a thoughtful ecofeminism; the "ecofeminism-deep ecology debate" in environmental philosophy; deep ecological treatment of animal rights and the omission of ecofeminist analyses of the domination of animals, abortion, and nuclear deterrence; and ways ecofeminism and the science of ecology are or could be engaged in complementary, supportive projects. The contributors are Carol J. Adams, Carol H. Cantrell, Jim Cheney, Chris Cuomo, Deane Curtin, Victoria Davion, Roger J. H. King, Stephanie Lahar, Patricia Jagentowicz Mills, Patrick D. Murphy, Val Plumwood, Catherine Roach, Robert Sessions, Deborah Slicer, and Karen J. Warren.

One of a small group of feminist pioneers in the historical profession, Estelle B. Freedman teaches and writes about women's history with a passion informed by her feminist values. Over the past thirty years, she has produced a body of work in which scholarship and politics have never been mutually exclusive. This collection brings together eleven essays--eight previously published and three new--that document the evolving relationship between academic feminism and political feminism as Freedman has studied and lived it. Following an introduction that presents a map of the personal and intellectual trajectory of Freedman's work, the first section of essays, on the origins and strategies of women's activism in U.S. history, reiterates the importance of valuing women in a society that has long devalued their contributions. The second section, on the maintenance of sexual boundaries, explores the malleability of both sexual identities and sexual politics. Underlying the collection is an inquiry into the changing meanings of gender, sexuality, and politics during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries along with a concern for applying the insights of women's history broadly, from the classroom to the courthouse.

This set is both a history of the global women's rights movement and an expert analysis of where that movement is and should be heading in the future. Feminism and Women's Rights Worldwide is both a richly detailed history of the women's movement around the globe and a road map for the next stages in the ongoing fight for gender equality. In this landmark three-volume set, a remarkable team of contributors draws on a wealth of contemporary research to discuss pivotal events, issues, and controversies related to the global women's movement, with chapters addressing reproductive rights, sexual slavery, harassment, forced marriage, mortality in birthing, domestic violence and rape, job discrimination, pay inequities, women in leadership positions, and other crucial issues. Together these volumes offer today's generation the real story of feminism and a call to action for the next wave of advocacy in education, religion, politics, the military, personal relationships, the workplace, and the home.

The #1 must-read book for a new generation of feminists who refuse to accept anything less than equality and justice for all women Now in its updated second edition, Full Frontal Feminism embodies the forward-looking messages that bestselling author Jessica Valenti propagated as founder of the popular website, Feministing.com. Smart and relatable, the book serves as a complete guide to the issues that matter to today's young women, including health, equal pay, reproductive rights, violence, education, relationships, sexual independence and safety, the influence of pop culture, and more. Since its original publication, Full Frontal Feminism has informed, inspired, and assured readers with the ultimate message of truth: You a feminist, and that's pretty cool.

A powerful and essential anthology that sheds light on the status of women throughout the world   Hailed by Alice Walker as "one of the most important human documents of the century," this collection of groundbreaking essays examines the global status of women's experiences, from oppression to persecution. Originally published in 1984, the compilation features pieces written by a diverse set of powerful women--journalists, politicians, grassroots activists, and scholars--from seventy countries. Author Robin Morgan, a champion of women's rights herself, expertly weaves these inspiring essays into one comprehensive feminist text.   These compelling "herstories" contain thoroughly researched statistics on the status of women throughout the world. Each chapter focuses on a different country and includes data on education, government, marriage, motherhood, prostitution, rape, sexual harassment, and sexual preference. Sisterhood Is Global transcends political systems and geographical boundaries to unite women and their experiences in a way that remains unequalled, even decades after its first publication.      

Most governments and global political organizations have been dominated by male leaders and structures that institutionalize male privilege. As Women and Gender in International History reveals, however, women have participated in and influenced the traditional concerns of international history even as they have expanded those concerns in new directions. Karen Garner provides a timely synthesis of key scholarship and establishes the influential roles that women and gender power relations have wielded in determining the course of international history. From the early-20th century onward, women have participated in state-to-state relations and decisions about when to pursue diplomacy or when to go to war to settle international conflicts. Particular women, as well as masculine and feminine gender role constructs, have also influenced the establishment and evolution of intergovernmental organizations and their political, social and economic policy making regimes and agencies. Additionally, feminists have critiqued male-dominated diplomatic establishment and intergovernmental organizations and have proposed alternative theories and practices.This text integrates women, and gender and feminist analyses, into the study of international history in order to produce a broader understanding of processes of international change during the 20th and 21st centuries.

This ground-breaking collection provides a wealth of materials needed to develop course units on black women, from political theory to literary essays on major writers to work on black women's contributions to the blues. Bibliographies and a collection of syllabi provide readers with essential classroom materials and a map for further research. For course use in: African American studies, feminist thought, lesbian studies, racism and sexism, women's studies.

In this provocative book, esteemed scholar Barbara Tomlinson asserts that intersectionality--the idea that categories such as gender, race, and class create overlapping systemsof oppression--is consistently misinterpreted in feminist argument. Despite becoming a central theme in feminist scholarship and activism, Tomlinson believes dominant feminism has failed to fully understand the concept.Undermining Intersectionality reveals that this apparent paradox is the result of the disturbing racial politics underlying more than two decades of widely-cited critiques of intersectionality produced by prominent white feminist scholars who have been insufficiently attentive to racial dynamics. As such, feminist critiques of intersectionality repeatedly reinforce racial hierarchies, undermining academic feminism's supposed commitment to social justice. Tomlinson offers a persuasive analysis of the rhetorics and conventions of argument used in these critiques to demonstrate their systematic reliance on "powerblind" discursive practices. Undermining Intersectionality concludes by presenting suggestions about concrete steps feminist researchers, readers, authors, and editors can take to promote more productive and principled engagements with intersectional thinking.

A dramatic and timely exploration of domestic abuse, which examines the persistence of violence against women in the US, through the story of Kim, a mother of three in Duluth, MN. Duluth was the birthplace of a revolution in the way society approaches battering, and the film tells the story of the leaders from Duluth who remain on the front lines today. The film also looks at the debate launched by researchers and academics who have challenged the Duluth approach.

Violence against women is a centuries old problem, but it is not until the past three decades that the topic has mushroomed in scholarly discussion. With this explosion of information there is a need for a comprehensive analysis of the complex theoretical, methodological, and ethical issues surrounding this topic. Editors Claire Renzetti, Jeffrey Edleson, and Raquel Kennedy Bergen fill this void in their book the Sourcebook on Violence Against Women. This handbook comprises a collection of original scholarly writings that extensively cover the current research on violence against women. In four sections the editors treat theoretical and methodological issues in research, types of violence, prevention and direct intervention, and continuing and emerging issues. As a comprehensive information source on violence against women, this book is an excellent resource for students, practitioners, and academics.

This book recounts the story of how a diverse social movement placed sexual harassment on the public agenda in the 1970s and 1980s. The collaboration of women from varying racial, economic, and geographic backgrounds strengthened the movement by representing the experiences and perspectives of a broad range of women, and incorporating their resources and strategies for social change. Black women; middle-class feminists; women breaking into construction, coal mining, and other non-traditional occupations; and women in pink-collar and working-class white-collar jobs all helped to convince governments to adopt public policies against sexual harassment in the United States. Based on interviews and original research, this book shows how the movement against sexual harassment fundamentally changed American life in ways that continue to advance women's opportunities today.

This text examines a diverse literature base, drawing from divergent findings to reveal a picture of complexity and of intertwining risk and resilience factors. It provides a literature review, integrating and analyzing research on violence and victimization, mental health, and substance use among adult women.

Once focusing solely on reproduction and reproductive matters, the study of women's health has expanded to include cardiovascular disease, breast cancer, colorectal cancer, and osteoporosis. The United States has established an office dedicated to researching women's health issues, and the Women's Health Initiative has begun collecting data on the prevention of diseases common among women. Yet the health care issues affecting diverse groups of women have remained underfunded and understudied. Diversity and Women's Health calls attention to this glaring discrepancy and presents cutting-edge research on women's health from a feminist perspective. The contributors argue that the health issues specific to lesbians, elderly women, women of color, immigrant women, and disabled women must become a central part of the broader conversation on women's health in the United States. Essays in this collection highlight the disparities in diagnosis and treatment among women because of their race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, disability, and age from both medical and women's studies perspectives. In reviewing the history of feminist scholarship on health care, the contributors to this volume show how bringing a feminist perspective to biomedical research will address the health care needs of marginalized groups in the United States.

Chloe Bird and Patricia Rieker argue that to improve men's and women's health, individuals, researchers, and policymakers must understand the social and biological sources of the perplexing gender differences in illness and longevity. Although individuals are increasingly aware of what they should do to improve health, competing demands for time, money, and attention discourage or prevent healthy behavior. Drawing on research and cross-national examples of family, work, community, and government policies, the authors develop a model of constrained choice that addresses how decisions and actions at each of these levels shape men's and women's health-related opportunities. Understanding the cumulative impact of their choices can inform individuals at each of these levels how to better integrate health implications into their everyday decisions and actions. Their platform for prevention calls for a radical reorientation of health science and policy to help individuals pursue health and to lower the barriers that may discourage that pursuit.

LGBT Health: Meeting the Needs of Gender and Sexual Minorities offers a first-of-its-kind, comprehensive view of mental, medical, and public health conditions within the LGBT community. This book examines the health outcomes and risk factors that gender and sexual minority groups face while simultaneously providing evidence-based clinical recommendations and resources for meeting their health needs. Drawing from leading scholars and practitioners of LGBT health, this holistic, centralized text synthesizes epidemiologic, medical, psychological, sociological, and public health research related to the origins of, current state of, and ways to improve LGBT health. The award-winning editors have assembled LGBT health experts who have conducted extensive research into diverse areas of LGBT health. Sections guide the reader through the entire spectrum of LGBT health, from the historical roots of LGBT health research all the way to modern, emerging lines of inquiry to improve health among diverse gender and sexual minority groups. Specific groundbreaking coverage includes such populations as LGBT veterans; reproductive health and parenting; sexual minority persons living with chronic illness and disability, and more. This encompassing volume serves as a go-to reference, a call to action, and a guide for anyone involved in researching and improving the health of LGBT populations. KEY FEATURESSynthesizes research from the psychological, sociological, medical, and public health fields into a comprehensive discussion of LGBT healthCovers the continuum of health from antecedents and sociocultural determinants through specific evidence-based approaches for improving outcomesIncludes specific focus on a wide range of health outcomes, including topics often neglected in the field such as reproductive health and parenting, intimate partner violence, cancer, and other chronic diseasesSpecifically investigates a variety of LGBT subgroups and their unique health needs including for LGBT veterans, transgender men and women, and racial and ethnic minorities who are LGBTPowerPoint slides with discussion questions available for qualified Instructors

Women's Health and Wellness Across the Lifespan provides a fresh and comprehensive approach to women's healthcare. Combining traditional and complementary medicine, this crucial text offers evidence-based insight on women's health and wellness. Update and enlighten your practice with relevant case histories, the latest research, and the insight of nursing experts on numerous wellness topics. This invaluable text offers the insights you need to respond to patients' individual concern and problems more effectively, promoting optimal wellness at every stage of your patients' lives. Developed for Clinicians in primary care and community settings, RNs, advanced practice students and faculty working in women's health, OB/GYN, family medicine, and adult/gerontology, and for nurse midwives, this vital reference includes: * Comprehensive, evidence-based content, crucial for promoting women's wellness and preventative care * Combines traditional medicine with alternative approaches for balanced, effective responses that answer the concerns of today's educated patient * Emphasizes the importance of incorporating social context, age and life experiences into health assessments * Tables and charts clarify different forms of care and their purpose Women's Health and Wellness Across the Lifespan is dvidied into three sections and covers o Introduction to women's wellness care - The holistic, lifespan approach to women's wellness; 21st century women's health care; evolution of the science and clinical specialty of women's health o Specific wellness issues for women across the lifespan - Issues from puberty through early adulthood, midlife, and healthy aging o Aids clinicians in promoting women's lifelong wellness - Special populations; body composition: exercise and nutrition; oral health; resilience; self-care: complementary therapies; herbal medicine; pharmacologic approaches to wellness and disease prevention; Pilates; healing environments; healing relationships; healthy sleep; peaceful dying

Women make up over half the U.S. population, but historically have been underrepresented in clinical research supported by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and others. As a result, differences in the manifestation of certain diseases and reactions to treatment in women compared with men were not identified. For example, there have been instances of women having adverse effects that differed from those of men related to medications and other treatments. NIHs Inclusion Policy established requirements governing womens inclusion in its clinical research. This book examines womens enrollment and NIHs efforts to monitor this enrollment in NIH-funded clinical research; and NIHs efforts to ensure that NIH-funded clinical trials are designed and conducted to analyze potential sex differences, when applicable.