Significant Contemporary American Feminists: A Biographical Sourcebook

(Hardback)

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Description

The history of the second wave of feminism in the United States demonstrates the potential for both serious social change and seemingly intractable divisions among women. Race, ethnicity, social class, sexual orientation, and religion have all been dividing influences among women, shaping their various perspectives on and relations to the women's movement. Yet collectively, women's effortsidentified as second wave feminismare seen as having made a difference. This book highlights the lives and work of fifty second wave feminists, women who have served as catalysts in the developing feminist movement. A diverse groupplaywrights and politicians, grassroots organizers and scientists, poets and theologiansthey provide the reader with compelling stories of individual women's lives, collective feminist struggles, and the possibilities of feminist social change. Each woman's story provides inspiration to those interested in the power of one, and collectively, the stories show the range of motivations, activities, and accomplishments of feminist thinkers and activists today. Each entry contains three parts: a biographical portrait of the individual, including information about education, family life, and early activism; an analytical discussion, highlighting the person's accomplishments and her relationship to U.S. feminism; and a bibliographical section containing a selective list of the subject's publications and writings about her and her work.

Reviews

Scanlon's unique source provides biographies that place in context the lives and contributions of second and third-wave feminists in the diverse contemporary movement....The comprehensive and accurate subject index provides additional access to the varied threads of feminism....The contributions and advisory board members have impressive feminist credentials. Excellent both as a reference source and an introduction to contemporary feminists; recommended for all undergraduate collections.-Choice
The analysis presented in this volume of the work and influence of these women is unique....Most academic libraries, and any library with a women's studies collection will probably want to acquire this reference work.-Booklist/Reference Books Bulletin
This biographical sourcebook is a useful tool for any library due to its easy to follow layout and detailed and interesting information.-Pennsylvania School Librarian's Association
Those wishing to find a brief overview of the most influential contemporary U.S. feminists will not be disappointed.-American Reference Books Annual
"The analysis presented in this volume of the work and influence of these women is unique....Most academic libraries, and any library with a women's studies collection will probably want to acquire this reference work."-Booklist/Reference Books Bulletin
"This biographical sourcebook is a useful tool for any library due to its easy to follow layout and detailed and interesting information."-Pennsylvania School Librarian's Association
"Those wishing to find a brief overview of the most influential contemporary U.S. feminists will not be disappointed."-American Reference Books Annual
"Scanlon's unique source provides biographies that place in context the lives and contributions of second and third-wave feminists in the diverse contemporary movement....The comprehensive and accurate subject index provides additional access to the varied threads of feminism....The contributions and advisory board members have impressive feminist credentials. Excellent both as a reference source and an introduction to contemporary feminists; recommended for all undergraduate collections."-Choice

Author Bio

JENNIFER SCANLON is Associate Professor of Women's Studies at Bowdoin College. She is the author of Inarticulate Longings: The Ladies' Home Journal, Gender, and the Promises of Consumer Culture (1995) and co-author of American Women Historians, 1700s-1990s: A Biographical Dictionary (Greenwood, 1996).