Inviting Women's Rebellion: A Political Interpretation of the Women's Movement [Hardcover]

Professor Anne N. Costain (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 1, 1992

Which is the real women's movement? The 1960s guerilla theater with feminists chanting "No more male legislators"? Or the political action committees of the 1970s distributing money to progressive candidates? Geraldine Ferraro and Diane Feinstein winning nomination to important political office in the 1980s? Or the crying, shouting, angry women of Mills College in 1990, protesting their school's decision to admit male undergraduates? According to Anne N. Costain, the movement's diversity and longevity have given it political strength--and have made it very difficult to define. In Inviting Women's Rebellion Costain examines the development of the women's movement from its appearance in the 1960s, through its formative years to its peak in the 1970s, and into its current decline. Political scientists have generally understood it as a traditional social movement one that gathered its constituents and mobilized its resources to fight for change--in part, against a government that was hostile or indifferent to women's rights. Costain argues instead for a "political process" interpretation that includes the federal government's role in facilitating the movement's success. In Costain's analysis, the crumbling of the New Deal coalition in the late sixties created a period of political uncertainty. Realizing the potential electoral impact of a bloc of women voters, politicians saw the value of making serious efforts to attract women's support. In this sympathetic political climate, the women's movement won early legislative stories without needing to develop significant resources or tactical skills. It also encouraged the movement's emphasis on legislation, particularly the passage of the EqualRights Amendment. From its inception, the women's movement focused on changing the laws that perpetuate gender difference--seeking to free both sexes from rigid regulations which assumed, for example, that women were not qualified to sit on juries or that men should have the sole

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Anne Costain's contribution is most welcome... Those interested in the politics of the women's movement or the links between social movements and government more generally should read this book." -- Political Science Quarterly

Product Details

• Hardcover: 216 pages
• Publisher: The Johns Hopkins University Press (May 1, 1992)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0801843332
• ISBN-13: 978-0801843334
• Product Dimensions: 9.5 x 6.5 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,433,853 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great book but...beware!, April 1, 2000

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student (philly) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Inviting Women's Rebellion: A Political Interpretation of the Women's Movement (Hardcover)

This book was great in terms of background information regarding the structure, organization and obstacles of the women's movement. There were many instances, however, of Costain's personal slant on some issues that could have been written in a more neutral light. An excellent read, just beware of the author's personal opinion weaving its way around the facts.