Reinventing the Culture of Womanhood in America and Brazil, an Anthropological Perspective : Models for the 21st Century 1964-2001

In Reinventing the Culture of Womanhood in America and Brazil, an Anthropological Perspective, Alex Westfried examines the heroic struggle of Brazilian women to restore justice, bring a democratic society, and gain virtually total independence, economically, socially, sexually, and spiritually, to their society. The culture of Brazil and recent developments provide Brazilian middle class women with advantages that American women have still not obtained. Using case studies of Brazilian women, Westfried gives, in full detail, the process of liberation, and the Epilogue develops conceptual icons that compare American and Brazilian culture. This work is integrated with historical events, changes in the family in a postmodern society, changes in women's sexuality, and changes in women's identity. This study is significant as it gives us models for the 21st century and for American women to complete their struggle for equality.