Feminists Negotiate the State: The Politics of Domestic Violence [Hardcover]

Cynthia R. Daniels (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 6, 1997 | ISBN-10: 0761808833 | ISBN-13: 978-0761808831

As feminists demand government action to address gender inequality, they are confronted by the paradox of state power--a state which promises women protection, but protects the interests of men. Using domestic violence against women as a case study, this book examines the trade-offs and compromises faced by feminists in this process of negotiating with the state. Over the past twenty years, feminists have won critical and significant political victories on the issue of domestic violence, including funding for battered women's shelters, better training for police officers and judges, and legal rights in the courts. Yet the state has failed to address the deeper social and economic sources of domestic violence and in many ways helps to perpetuate the masculine culture of violence which helps to produce it. This book explores feminist engagements with each of the three branches of government, examining the response of the Executive branch (through mandatory police arrest policies), the Judicial branch (through the use of Battered Woman's Syndrome in the courts) and the Legislative branch (through analysis of the Violence Against Women Act) to feminist demands for social change.

Editorial Reviews

Review

This volume makes three contributions that make it a valuable read for movement scholars. First, it successfully sues the case of the feminist (anti-) domestic violence movement to highlight the problems of the tradeoffs that inevitably face activistsnegotiating the state. Second, it turns our attention to movement strategy, which has been insufficiently addressed in the social movement literature. Finally, it explicitly addresses the effects of a social movement on policy formation, an area of inquiry badly neglected by scholars of both movements and policy making.>> (Mobilization )

This book is a model of policy analysis: it is clearly written, well documented throughout, free of political rhetoric...>>>> (Evan Stark )

This book is a model of policy analysis: it is clearly written, well documented throughout, free of political rhetoric... (Evan Stark )

This volume makes three contributions that make it a valuable read for movement scholars. First, it successfully sues the case of the feminist (anti-) domestic violence movement to highlight the problems of the tradeoffs that inevitably face activists negotiating the state. Second, it turns our attention to movement strategy, which has been insufficiently addressed in the social movement literature. Finally, it explicitly addresses the effects of a social movement on policy formation, an area of inquiry badly neglected by scholars of both movements and policy making. (Mobilization )

About the Author

Cynthia R. Daniels is Associate Professor of Political Science at Rutgers University in New Brunswick, New Jersey.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 136 pages
• Publisher: University Press Of America (November 6, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0761808833
• ISBN-13: 978-0761808831
• Product Dimensions: 8.7 x 5.5 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #8,627,851 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Positve Impact, July 23, 2009

A Kid's Review

This review is from: Feminists Negotiate the State: The Politics of Domestic Violence (Hardcover)

The following is directed towards Dr. Naranch, a co-author of this work.
I have nothing but good things to say about her. When I find a free moment, I really need to write to her directly and express my gratitude. I feel that her lectures and assignments have had a significantly positive impact on my writing and in how I approach / question many issues. She helped steer me in the right direction
I feel that many of the accomplishments that I have made and opportunities that I have been afforded would not have been possible if it were not for her, such as interviewing Shinji Miyazaki, who is heavily inspired by the works of Tôru Takemitsu.
Having graduated from Siena College as a history major, I can confidently attest that taking POSC 130 and POSC 339 was significantly more worthwhile than all of my coursework as a history major combined.
As long as you take the class seriously, she won't look down on you; if anything she'll empower you to strive harder.
When I'm featured in the Japanese publication The Hiragana Times this September, it would be impossible to not reminisce over the genuinely positive impact that she has had on my life.