Women's & Gender Studies

Original manuscripts dealing with new developments in the study of gender informed by a variety of feminist frameworks and methodologies.

This ground-breaking collection provides hours of enjoyment for the general reader and a wealth of materials needed to develop course units on black women; political theory, literary essays on major writers, guidelines for consciousness-raising about racism, and surveys of black women's contributions to the blues. "Important and innovative."--Feminist Bookstore News

Feminism has been one of the most important and radical movements in ideas and in society over the last forty years. Yet the roots of modern feminist and post-feminist thought stretch back much further than the 1960s. This Pocket Essential looks at the important names in the history of feminism, from Mary Wollstonecraft to Germaine Greer, and at the most significant texts, from John Stuart Mill's The Subjection of Women to Betty Friedan's The Feminine Mystique and Naomi Wolf's The Beauty Myth. It explores the history of feminist thought and the wide range of debate and discussion in contemporary feminism. Is there such a thing as post-feminism and, if so, what is it? Has there been a backlash against feminism as Susan Faludi's book of that title argued? What is the future of feminism in the new century?

Feminist scholar Nina Lykke highlights current issues in feminist theory, epistemology and methodology. Combining introductory overviews with cutting-edge reflections, Lykke focuses on analytical approaches to gendered power differentials intersecting with other processes of social in/exclusion based on race, class, and sexuality. Lykke confronts and contrasts classical stances in feminist epistemology with poststructuralist and postconstructionist feminisms, and also brings bodily materiality into dialogue with theories of the performativity of gender and sex.

Offers 1,500 word expositions of 50 topics central to the field. Jane Pilcher and Imelda Whelehan's introduction gives an account of gender studies - what it is and how it originated. Their selection of topics is authoritative and the entries reflect the complex, multi-faceted nature of the field in an accessible dictionary format. Each of the key concepts: · begins with a concise definition · includes illustrations of how the concept has been applied within the field · offers examples which allow a critical re-evaluation of the concept · is cross-referenced with the other key concepts · makes further reading suggestions. The level of detail offered encourages understanding of gender studies without sacrificing depth detail and critical evaluation essential to convey the complexity of the issues dealt with.

Brings together approaches to, and perspectives on, English, Spanish, and Galician language, literature, and culture from the fields of women's, gender, and queer studies. As its title reflects, the book adopts an inclusive attitude to the so-called "others" present in these fields. Since queer theory first appeared in academia, its influence has been notorious within both women's and genders. As such, it is vital to "queer" academia so that it re-conceptualises its foundations; indeed, the contributions here serve to alter the reader's consciousness of the terms "woman" and "gender".

What are the differences between the sexes? That is the question that Ann Oakley set out to answer in this pioneering study, now established as a classic in the field. To answer it she draws on the evidence of biology, anthropology, sociology and the study of animal behaviour to cut through popular myths and reach the underlying truth. She demonstrates conclusively that men and women are not two separate groups: rather each individual takes his or her place on a continuous scale. She shows how different societies define masculinity and femininity in different and even opposite ways, and discusses how far observable differences are based on biology and psychology and how far on cultural conditioning. Many books have discussed these vital issues. None, however, have drawn on such an impressively wide range of evidence or discussed it with such clarity and authority.

Designed primarily for introduction to Women's and Gender Studies courses with the intent of providing both skills- and concept-based foundation in the field. Driven by a single key question: "What are the ways of thinking, seeing, and knowing that characterize Women's and Gender Studies and are valued by its practitioners?" Develops the key concepts and ways of thinking that students need in order to develop a deep understanding and to approach material like feminist scholars do, across disciplines. Illustrates four of the most critical concepts in Women's and Gender Studies - the social construction of gender, privilege and oppression, intersectionality, and feminist praxis, and grounds these concepts in multiple illustrations.

An accessible introduction to the pathbreaking and cross-disciplinary study of women--past and present. Tracing the history of the field from its origins, this revised and updated text sets out the main topics making up the discipline, exploring its global development and its relevance to our own times. A new chapter on militarization and violence provides fresh insight into trends in the contemporary world and adds to curricular significance. Reflecting the diversity of the field, core themes include: the interdisciplinary nature of women's studies core feminist theories and the feminist agenda issues of intersectionality: women, race, class, gender, ethnicity, and religion violence, militarization, security, and peace women, sexuality and the body. Provides an informed foundation for those new to the subject and is especially meant to guide undergraduates and postgraduates concentrating in women's studies and gender studies.

Explores the intersections of gender, race, sexuality, gender identity, and spirituality from the perspectives of diverse global locations. Its strong humanities content, including illustrations and creative writing, uniquely embraces the creative aspects of the field. Each of the 10 thematic chapters lead to creative readings, more readings throughout the text encourage intersectional thinking among students humanistic angle than is typical of textbooks in the field This textbook is queer inclusive and allows students to engage with postcolonial/decolonial thinking, spirituality, and reproductive/environmental justice A detailed timeline of feminist history, criticism and theory is provided, and the glossary encourages the development of critical vocabulary.