Peter H. Smith is distinguished professor of political science and Sim-n Bol'var Professor of Latin American Studies at the University of California, San Diego. Jennifer L. Troutner is an independent scholar. Christine HYnefeldt is professor of history at the University of California, San Diego.

A much-needed and long-awaited cross-regional collection with Latin America and Asia as the focus and gender power relations at the core.

• Part 1 ForewordChapter 2 Introduction: Empowering Women: Agency, Structure, and Comparative PerspectivePart 3 Politics and the Public ArenaChapter 4 Many Paths to Power: Women in Contemporary AsiaChapter 5 Climbing the Pyramids of Power: Alternative Routes to Women's Empowerment and ActivismChapter 6 From the Personal to the Political: Women Activists in JapanChapter 7 Feminism and the Transition to Democracy in ChilePart 8 At Work and at HomeChapter 9 Women and Economic Crisis: Mexico and ThailandChapter 10 Women, Poverty, and Survival of the Household: PeruChapter 11 Women in the Business World: Japan in Comparative PerspectiveChapter 12 Women and the Internet in ChinaPart 13 Constructions and RepresentationsChapter 14 Social Codes and Gender Roles: Schoolbooks in Korea and MexicoChapter 15 Women and Cinema in MexicoChapter 16 Gender and Sexuality on Television: Japan and BrazilChapter 17 Conclusion: States, Markets, and Patterns of Empowerment