Women in Context – serie

Now, 25 years into our country's most recent "women's movement" for equality, it is appropriate to reexamine the social and cultural experiences of women. Thanks to the media, researchers, clinicians, and the general public, all are aware that women have been unable to realize many of their goals. At times, distress rather than satisfaction and rejection and disap­ pointment rather than contentment have been the result of the ongoing struggle of women to achieve change-the change in attitudes, behavior, and values necessary to broaden the personal choices and work options open to women. Nationally recognized authorities on several of the sociocultural issues addressed in this volume, the editors invited noted scholars and clinicians to study some of those issues particularly relevant to women. These include frequently neglected topics, such as the multiplicity of responsibilities of single women and the spectrum of mothering roles, and those more commonly discussed, such as the various roles and patterns in the family, work options and burdens, and interpersonal relationships. The volume provides insightful detail on two prominent and poignant problems of the 1980s-the causes and repercussions of homelessness and sexual life-styles. Such material may facilitate under­ standing and serve as a catalyst for positive action.

This book examines women's writing in Italy from Unification to the present day, exploring the lives and works of women writers within the context of Italian history, culture and politics. The changing face of Italian social and political life since Unification has greatly affected the position of women in Italy. This work discusses the relation between the changing role of women over this period, their struggle for social and political emancipation and equality, and the search by women writers for a personal and authentic literary voice. Wood's other publications include "Woman as Object: Narrative and Gender in the Work of Alberto Moravia" (1990). The series provides a survey, country by country of women's writing from the beginnings of the major struggle for emancipation up to the present day. While the main emphasis is on literature, the social, political and cultural development of each country provides a context for understanding the position and preoccupations of women writers. Modern critical currents are also taken into account in relating feminist criticism to recent critical theory.Other volumes in this series include "Norwegian Women's Writing 1850-1990" and the forthcoming "Swedish Women's Writing 1850-1990".

Volume One in a new series, this book covers Norwegian women's writing over the last 150 years, setting literary developments against the background of the emergence and growth of the women's movement in Norway. The work is divided chronologically into three sections: the period up to 1913, when the universal suffrage was granted; the period from 1913 to 1960, a time of stagnation in the women's movement, with little involvement in contemporary political, social and economic debates; and the period from 1960 to the present day, which has seen an increasing participation of women in public life. Chapters on individual authors concentrate on the images of the women portrayed and investigate the conflicts behind the text - the tensions between the authors and their work, and the ambivalent feelings of women authors towards the act of writing. The book should be of interest to all those concerned with women's writing and with Scandanavian literature and culture. Janet Garton's other publications include "Writers and Politics in Modern Scandanavia" (1978) and "Jens Bjorneboe: Prophet without Honor" (1985).The series provides a survey, country by country of women's writing from the beginnings of the major struggle for emancipation up to the present day. While the main emphasis is on literature, the social, political and cultural development of each country provides a context for understanding the position and preoccupations of women writers. Modern critical currents are also taken into account in relating feminist criticism to recent critical theory. Forthcoming volumes in this series include "Women's Writing in Italy 1870-1990" and "Swedish Women's Writing 1850-1990".

This book is a compilation and update of a group of provocative papers presented at the Radcliffe College invitational conference, "Perspectives on the Patterns of an Era: Family, Work, and Education."

This volume presents the knowledge, views, and experiences of ex­ perts in the fields of health care that are particularly important to women. Not all of the authors agree on all of the issues, but all share the same concerns about women's health and recognize the impor­ tance of providing information to enable women to become active par­ ticipants in the health care partnership. The idea for the book evolved from our own work in the field of women's health care. The positive responses we received to several papers and presentations based on our experiences and addressed to patients, physicians, and other health care professionals indicated that there is a growing need for open discussion of women's health care issues as well as a need for developing and implementing new and better ways of dealing with these issues. We were further motivated by the repeated failure of the health care community to integrate new insights and information (that frequently contradict older, established beliefs and practices) into current health planning, education, and practice.

The second section deals with specific points in the life cycle that raise unique issues for women, especially as they pertain to the many roles of women in contemporary society and the impact that these roles have on their careers and on their families.

Every woman ought to be filled with shame at the thought that she is woman. -Clement of Alexandria, c. 150-215 The five worst infirmities that afflict the female are indocility, discontent, slan­ der, jealousy, and silliness .... Such is the stupidity of woman's character, that it is incumbent upon her in every particular, to distrust herself and to obey her husband. -Confucian Marriage Manual Nature intended women to be our slaves. They are our property; we are not theirs. They belong to us, just as a tree that bears fruit belongs to a gardener. What a mad idea to demand equality for women.. . Women are nothing but machines for producing children. -Napoleon Bonaparte The fact of the matter is that the prime responsibility of a woman probably is to be on earth long enough to find the best mate possible for herself, and con­ ceive children who will improve the species. -Norman Mailer Read these quotes and wonder!! Wonder at the strength, tenacity, and grace of females who have endured outrageous slings and arrows without becoming violent, uncaring, or incapacitated. Sturdy stuff is contained in our double X, preserved and nurtured for other, less dis­ torted times. The Women in Context series is a reflection of the dawn­ ing light slowly illuminating woman as unique in some ways, but nei­ ther less than nor more than man. Surely, our imperfect world can well use all the talents and capabilities that men and women possess.

This is not a textbook nor an encyclopedia; rather, it is a collection of papers representing a variety of points of view on contemporary is­ sues, controversies, and questions about female sexual development. The editor has a point of view, not a point of view as to which of the various authors' positions presented in this book is correct, or even the most useful, but a point of view about the format of such a book; namely, that the definitive answers, and the experts who will provide them, are not yet identified. Therefore, many voices should be heard from different areas of expertise, training, experience, and back­ ground. Inevitably there are contradictions and disagreements. There should be. Several authors who were asked to provide short discus­ sions for papers found themselves unable to answer in less than an ad­ ditional paper. The editor welcomed this response. This is an area full of ancient myths, new discoveries, and alternate perspectives. It is hoped that the book reflects these ambiguities and controversies and that it will stimulate as many questions as it provides answers. You will find represented in this volume, and its forthcoming companion volume on women's sexual experience, authors not gener­ ally found together between the covers. When useful and where pos­ sible, a discussion or an addendum to a paper has been included by an author who approaches the subject from a different base of infor­ mation or experience.

This book, like its companion volume, Women's Sexual Development, is a potpourri of ideas, not campaign literature to promote a particular point of view.

The theoretical discus­ sion of aggression provides a background for the presentation of pat­ terns of aggression and violence affecting women, as well as possible connections between physical and emotional symptoms and indirect expressions of aggression.

But midlife is still too often seen merely as a kind of staging area on the way to old age, when one gathers one's forces and tries to stock up on assets-health, money, relationships-that will be needed for the rigors of the last phase of life.