1st Edition

Feminism and the Women's Movement Dynamics of Change in Social Movement Ideology and Activism

By Barbara Ryan Copyright 1992

    In Feminism and the Women's Movement, Barbara Ryan integrates a broad historical view with an analytical framework drawn from the theory of social movements. Relying on participation and observation of diverse groups involved in the woman's movement, interviews with long-term activists, and readings of historical and contemporary movement publications, she discusses the changing nature of feminist ideology and movement organizing. Ryan portrays the successes and difficulties that women have faced in their efforts to effect social change in recent history.

    Acknowledgments, Abbreviations, Introduction, Chapter 1: THE EARLY WOMAN'S MOVEMENT: FROM EQUAL RIGHTS TO SUFFRAGE, Chapter 2: THE WOMAN'S SUFFRAGE MOVEMENT AND THE AFTERMATH OF VICTORY, Chapter 3: RESURGENCE OF FEMINISM: THE CONTEMPORARY WOMEN'S MOVEMENT, Chapter 4: IDEOLOGICAL PURITY: DIVISIONS, SPLITS, AND TRASHING, Chapter 5: SOCIAL MOVEMENT TRANSFORMATION: THE WOMEN'S MOVEMENT FROM 1975 TO 1982, Chapter 6: CHANGING ORIENTATIONS IN IDEOLOGY AND ACTIVISM, Chapter 7: AMERICAN WOMEN AND THE WOMEN'S MOVEMENT DURING THE REAGAN/BUSH YEARS, Chapter 8: DIVISIONS REVISITED: PORNOGRAPHY. ESSENTIALISM/NOMINALISM, CLASS AND RACE, Chapter 9: THE SEARCH FOR A NEW MOBILIZING ISSUE: THE WOMEN'S MOVEMENT AFTER THE ERA, Chapter 10: CONCLUSION, Notes, Bibliography, Index

    Biography

    Barbara Ryan is Assistant Professor of Sociology at Widener University