Inuit Women: Their Powerful Spirit in a Century of Change

(Paperback)

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Inuit Women is the definitive study of the Inuit during a time of rapid change. Based on fourteen years of research and fieldwork, this analysis focuses on the challenges facing Inuit women as they enter the twenty-first century. Written shortly after the creation of Nunavut, a new province carved out of traditional Inuit homelands in the Canadian North, this compelling book combines conclusions drawn from the authors' ethnographic research with the stories of Inuit women and men, told in their own words.

In addition to their presentation of the personal portraits and voices of many Inuit respondents, Janet Mancini Billson and Kyra Mancini explore global issues: the impact of rapid social change and Canadian resettlement policy on Inuit culture; women's roles in society; and gender relations in Baffin Island, in the Eastern Arctic. They also include an extensive section on how the newly created territory of Nunavut is impacting the lives of Inuit women and their families. Working from a research approach grounded in feminist theory, the authors involve their Inuit interviewees as full participants in the process. This book stands alone in its attention to Inuit women's issues and lives and should be read by everyone interested in gender relations, development, modernization, globalization, and Inuit culture.

Reviews

Essential reading for those interested in Inuit culture, politics, and gender relations. Highly recommended. * Choice Reviews *
Inuit Women talks about how we [the Inuit] cope with surviving in modern times while maintaining the traditional ways. The people explain life from their own experiences, some of them painful and touching, so that you feel an ache in the heart when you fully understand and have been there. Moving from the land to a high-tech society in three generations is a lot to absorb and it is being done here with an openness and ingenuity that is understood by women all over the world. Much of our history is not written yet by our people and this book shows how we can begin to do just that. Our history is still oral, passed down from generation to generation, but once more we are open to a new concept. This book will be passed down as part of our history. -- Ann Meekitjuk Hanson, Commissioner of Iqaluit, Nunavut
If we study the heroic struggle for survival by Arctic women and men too closely, we risk seeing our own reflection, as the greatest test Inuit ever face may well be invasion by our Western culture. Inuit Women is a rare and potent combinationa book that unflinchingly and painstakingly examines this clash of cultures, listening carefully all the while not to miss the subtle poetry of Inuit life lessons. -- John Houston, Arctic filmmaker, Diet of Souls
This is a beautifully written work of feminist ethnography. The authors weave the words of Inuit women into the text, creating a running narrative that gives powerful voice to the women studied while providing an extraordinary contemporary ethnography of Inuit women. The book is original, for few who study indigenous people evidence such strong concern about women and their social problemsdomestic violence, depression among youth, and high rates of suicide. The authors also confront the new, unfolding Nunavut identity and the potential for redefinition of male-female relations. These themes, and many others involving women, men, and their children, are woven throughout the text, making Inuit Women a compelling read. -- Carolyn Fluehr-Lobban, Professor Emerita of Anthropology, Rhode Island College

Author Bio

Janet Mancini Billson is director of Group Dimensions International in Barrington, Rhode Island, and adjunct professor of sociology at The George Washington University. Kyra Mancini is senior research associate for Group Dimensions International.