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Women, Religion, and Social Change in Brazil's Popular Church (Titles from the Helen Kellogg Institute for International Studies)

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Drogus explains the overlap of several major trends recently in Brazil. One is the increasing incidence of feminist assertion of identity. But occurring here in the context of women from the poor working class, trying to better conditions for their families. Very different from the middle class feminist issues often happening in the US.

The book also places this within the framework of the Catholic Church and the so-called liberation theology professed by some members. Drogus describes events in Sao Paulo mostly in 1986-90. The Church had great importance in shaping what status women had. Interestingly, the book shows that women in the Catholic laity had great influence at some levels of the Church, and that this was used by some to try to reduce the poverty levels of their families.