The women, gender, and development reader / edited by Nalini Visvanathan (co-ordinator) ; Lynn Duggan, Laurie Nisonoff, and Nan Wiegersma.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Part 1: Historical Introduction and Theoretical Debates
S E M Charleton. Lourdes Beneria and Gita Sen. Eva M Rathgeber. Irene Tinker. Rosi Braidotti, Ewa Charkiewicz, Sabine Hausler and Saskia Wieringa. C Mohanty. Aihwa Ong. Lourdes Beneria. Deniz Kandiyoti.

Part 2: Households and Families
Sylvia Chant. Gita Sen. Rita Gallin. Diane Wolf. Jeanne Koopman. Vandana Shiva. Bina Agarwal.

Part 3: Women in the Global Economy
Diane Elson and Ruth Pearson. Maria Patricia Fernandez-Kelly. Linda Y C Lim. Lourdes Arizpe. Aili Mari Tripp.

Part 4: International Women in Social Transformation
Carmen Deana Deere. Takyiwaa Manuh. Marlyn Dalsimer and Laurie Nisonoff. Betsy Hartmann. Claudia Garcia-Moreno. Wendy Lee. Delia Aguilar. Haleh Afshar. Homa Hoodfar. Lourdes Beneria. Muriel Nazzari. Mieke Meurs.

Part 5: Women Organizing Themselves for Change
Kate Young. Ida Susser. Seung-kyung Kim. Kalima Rose.

Third World women were long the undervalued and ignored actors in the development process but are now recognized as playing a critical role. This book has been designed as a comprehensive reader presenting the best of the now vast body of literature that has grown up alongside this acknowledgement.

The book is divided into five parts, incorporating readings from the leading experts and authorities in each field. The first part acts as an introduction to the field, examining the key theoretical debates and discourses surrounding women and development from a historical perspective. Distinguished practitioners explore the ideas and concepts fundamental for understanding the area: class, ‘race’ and ethnicity, religion, reproduction, persistent inequalities, colonialism, modernization, economic exclusion and patriarchy.

Part two goes on to look at the household as a unit of analysis exploring sexuality, single-parent families, agricultural production, and environmental relationships while the third part locates women within the global economy, addressing issues such as industrialization, multi-national companies, Free Trade Zones , the informal sector and the feminization of labour. Part four views the social transformation of women as a consequence of Structural Adjustment Policies and intrusive state policies into women’s health, reproductive rights and sexuality. Next, the volume poses the fundamental questions around women and ideology do national liberation struggles contradict with feminist movements? What is the impact of religious fundamentalism? Are socialist development processes similar or dissimilar to capitalist processes? How has the transition to capitalism affected women? The final section of the book shows how women from the ground up are organizing themselves for change.

Case studies drawn from all regions, such as China’s one-child policy, prostitution tourism in Southeast Asia and women’s place in Cuban socialism, vividly illustrate the theoretical debates. A guide to further reading at the end of each chapter provides a foundation for any serious student of women in the development process.