From patriarchy to empowerment : women's participation, movements, and rights in the Middle East, North Africa, and South Asia

This rich anthology offers twenty studies on instances of emerging social justice and women's empowerment in the Middle East, North Africa, and South Asia. These areas are home to large populations where women's rights have withered under patriarchal rule, and many are beset by civic unrest. The book shows how changes are occurring as flood tides of capital, people, and information erode entrenched gender regimes, giving birth to energetic and forward-thinking women's movements. Highly original, conceptually sophisticated, and eminently readable, this book illustrates how local women are transforming their collective fates by questioning their status, forming alliances, demanding full participation in economic development and the political process, and mining the opportunities afforded by globalization.