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.
Biography
Vicky Randall
'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
