Empowering Women: Land And Property Rights In Latin America (Pitt Latin American Studies) [Hardcover]

Carmen Diana Deere (Author), Magdalena Leon (Contributor)

Book Description

Series: Pitt Latin American Studies | Publication Date: August 30, 2001

The expansion of married women’s property rights was a main achievement of the first wave of feminism in Latin America. As Carmen Diana Deeere and Magdalena Leon reveal, however, the disjuncture between rights and actual ownership remains vast. This is particularly true in rural areas, where the distribution of land between men and women is highly unequal. In their pioneering, twelve-country comparative study, the authors argue that property ownership is directly related to women’s bargaining power within the household and community, point out changes resulting from recent gender-progressive legislation, and identify additional areas for future reform, including inheritance rights of wives.

Editorial Reviews

Review

“A brilliant multidisciplinary analysis of gender and property in Latin America, and the ways in which rural women are actively engaged in the contests ofer land rights. . . .belongs in every university library .” --Hispanic American Historical Review

From the Back Cover

"A historic book....Its singular importance is that it stresses the difference between formal and real equality of property and land rights, and the difference between access to and control over resources." -Lourdes Arizpe, professor and researcher at Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico-Cuernavaca

"A call to action....The degree of inequality which characterizes the position of rural women is shocking." -Teresa Valdéz, researcher at Facultad Latinoamericana de Ciencias Sociales-Chile

"Throughout this book, peasant and indigenous women not only contribute facts and arguments, but also share their struggles and tribulations over the acquisition of their own piece of land or a land parcel jointly with their husbands. Reading it has enriched me intellectually and spiritually." -Maria Emma Prada, President of the Association Nacional de Mujeres Campesinas y Indigenas de Colombia

"Highlights the interconnections between economics, law and social movements, illustrating the hard facts of gender discrimination and its changing nature." -Jose Antonio Ocampo, Secretary General of CEPAL (Comision Economica para America Latina)

The expansion of married women's property rights was one of the main achievements of the first wave of feminism in Latin America, yet the disjuncture between rights and actual ownership of land, particularly in rural areas, remains vast. In their pioneering twelve-country comparative study, Carmen Diana Deere and Magdalena León demonstrate the roles of inheritance, the state, and the market in gender inequality in land ownership.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 512 pages
• Publisher: University of Pittsburgh Press; 1 edition (August 30, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0822941619
• ISBN-13: 978-0822941613
• Product Dimensions: 9.5 x 6.3 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.9 pounds
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #567,853 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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