Women's Rights

Taking a broad view of the ongoing efforts to attain rights for women, this work provides unique insight into the context of the issues and reveals the range of factors that can influence a particular policy decision. What constitutes "women's rights" depends on whom you ask-or who is in political office at the time. Understandably, women's rights have changed across time as perceptions of women and their roles have changed. What remains consistent regardless of the historic era is that rights assumed by men often must be specifically granted to women. This book presents an overview of women's rights that also addresses specific policy decisions. Within each policy entry, the author explains the factors that can influence a particular policy decision, such as the current American political culture, prevailing views of women as mothers and caretakers, perceptions of female/male relationships, systemic governmental influences, and conflicting opinions over the role of government in decisions related specifically to women's lives. The book's conclusion examines current issues, encouraging students to consider whether or not these rights will continue to evolve along with U.S. society and women's roles in it. Carefully examines the major issues that helped frame women's rights in various key policy areas Blends the practical explanations of the government's role in women's rights with the feminist theoretical foundations of the quest for these rights Supplies crucial context for all women's rights policy statements, including information about the statements' authors as well as the political dynamics surrounding the issue Presents coverage of policy statements that illustrate some of the key players in the attainment of women's rights and uniquely demonstrate the various ways women's rights have been framed across history Clearly illustrates the relationship of women's rights issues to fields of study as disparate as business, history, healthcare, law enforcement, and political science, among others Includes coverage of some of the major political challenges to women's reproductive rights witnessed in the previous decade Considers some of the most difficult and controversial issues related to women's rights, such as the "war on women" and the country's pervasive rape culture