Gender, Politics and the State / Edition 1

by Vicky Randall, Georgina Waylen

Overview

Over the last two decades our understanding of the relationship of gender, politics and the state has been transformed almost beyond recognition by the mutual interrogation of feminism and political science. This volume provides an overview of this dynamic and growing field, which reflects both its expanding empirical scope and the accompanying theoretical development and debate.
The first three essays focus primarily on conceptual and theoretical issues: the meaning of 'gender'; the state's role in the construction of gender within the public and private sphere; and the political representation of gender differences within liberal democracy. The remaining six provide analyses of more concrete issues of state policy and participation in differeing national political contexts: abortion politics in Ireland; the local politics of prostitution in Britain, the impact on women's political participation of economic change in China, Latin America and political change in Russia, and the gender impact of state programmes of land reform.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780415164023
Publisher:	Taylor & Francis
Publication date:	07/23/1998
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	224
Product dimensions:	6.12(w) x 9.19(h) x (d)

About the Author

Vicky Randall

Table of Contents

Notes on contributors; Preface; Section 01 1 Gender, feminism and the state: an overview; Section 01 GEORGINA WAYLEN; Section 02 2 A political theory of gender: perspectives on the ‘universal subject’; Section 02 TERRELL CARVER; Section 03 3 The state and the making of gender: some historical legacies; Section 03 URSULA VOGEL; Section 04 4 Beyond liberalism? Feminist theories of democracy; Section 04 KATE NASH; Section 05 5 The state and the discursive construction of abortion; Section 05 BARRY GILHEANY; Section 06 6 Policing prostitution: gender, the state and community politics; Section 06 BARBARA GWINNETT; Section 07 7 Remasculinisation and the neoliberal state in Latin America; Section 07 NIKKI CRASKE; Section 08 8 The gendered politics of land reform: three comparative studies; Section 08 SUSIE JACOBS; Section 09 9 Gender politics and the state during Russia’s transition period; Section 09 VALERIE SPERLING; Section 10 10 Gender, civil society and the state in China; Section 10 JUDE HOWELL; Section 11 11 Gender and power: women engage the state; Section 11 VICKY RANDALL; Index;

Editorial Reviews

Eleven essays incorporate theoretical and empirical findings of sociology and political science in examinations of feminist theories of the state. The essays cover a broad range geographically, including discussions of countries in Latin America, the developed and developing world, and the former communist countries. Specific topics include the state treatments of abortion and prostitution, the gender ramifications of land reform, and the engagement of the state by women. Annotation c. by Book News, Inc., Portland, Or.

Booknews

'This collection of essays provides a valuable overview of contemporary thinking on the relationship between gender, politics and the state...The editors insightful introduction and conclusion demonstrates not only the complexity of the issues raised but how far feminist thinking has developed in the last few years.' - The Royal Institute of International Affairs, Vol 75, No.2, April 1999

From the Publisher