Comparative State Feminism

The cross-national trend in post-industrial societies of establishing state structures assigned to improve the status of women is studied in this book. The existence of a phenomenon called `state feminism′ has begun to be a focus of research in the past few years, although the phenomenon itself dates from the 1960s, thus there is a clear need for a comparative analysis. With contributions from renowned scholars, the book: describes and classifies the range and diversity of state structures charged with improving the status of women in post-industrial societies; analyzes their effect on the status of women on achieving feminist goals; and explains the variations among post-industrial societies in the establishment, elaboration and effectiven

Have institutional changes in governments resulted in policies that reduce gender-based inequities? Have such changes led to the creation of state feminism? And, if state feminism exists, are there variations in the abilities of state structures to promote feminist political agendas in the contexts of the different political, social, and cultural traditions of various countries? In Comparative State Feminism, an international team of contributors analyzes these questions, clearly describing the range and diversity of state structures formally responsible for promoting women′s positions and rights in advanced industrial societies. In addition, these contributors explore the extent to which these state offices achieve feminist goals within the social, political, and historical contexts of each nation-state. Lastly, they propose, based on a cross-national comparison, the combination of political and social factors that appears to produce state structures prone to pursuing effective state feminist action. A must for students and scholars of political science, international studies, and gender studies, this volume will also interest policymakers and others involved in the affairs of government.