This edited volume contains the thoughtful and often inspiring papers that were presented at the Fourth Annual Conference of the Women's Freedom Network in 1997. Written by scholars, homemakers, entrepreneurs, professionals, and military personnel, the articles in this collection address the status of women, their careers, and their families--now and in the past. The volume is divided into four sections, each devoted to a particular area where women have played a significant role. The first section focuses on the family with papers describing the difficult choices women must make to meet the demands of home and career, the changing role of fathers, and impact of divorce on children. In section two, several women discuss their successful careers as entrepreneurs and CEOs in a variety of businesses. The papers in section three deal with the topic of women in the military, addressing issues ranging from physical fitness and injury to pregnancy and sexual scandal. The last section offers insiders' views on the history and professional experiences of women involved in medicine, journalism, law, and academia. Heart-felt and informative, the articles in this collection offer insight into the multi-faceted and ever-changing lives of women today.

The contemporary family is being distracted, disturbed and distraught by societal pressures from every direction. The nuclear family concept, believed crucial to child rearing, is becoming passé according to census data. Or has the wave of disruption to families crested? It is hoped that this bibliography will serve as a useful tool to researchers seeking further information on families and the pressures being exerted upon them in the 21st century.

American women look at French women as having it all: sex, motherhood, work, and public office, while French women look at American women as puritanical, excessively feminist, and unable to "have it all" without guilt. The essays in this book by leading American and French academics and critics set the record straight by assessing the truth of each outlook. They conclude that facts are different from imagination, and that on many issues, French feminists could actually look to the U.S. for inspiration. This book offers the first comparative critical appraisal of how women live in the US and in France and suggests paths of reflection on what women can do to improve their lives in the twenty-first century. This is a must read for anyone interested in the nature of womanhood today in the Western World.

Women have been actively involved the United States military for more than fifty years, but the ban on their participation in combat remains a hotly debated issue. In this provocative book Lorry M. Fenner, an active-duty Air Force intelligence officer, calls for opening all aspects of military service to women. Marie deYoung, a former Army chaplain, argues that keeping women out of combat is in the best interests of both sexes and crucial to the effectiveness of the military as a whole. Fenner bases her argument for inclusion of women on the idea that democracies require all citizens to compete in public endeavor and share in civic obligation. She contends that, historically, reasons for banning women from combat have been culturally biased. She argues that membership in a combat force should be based on capability judged against appropriate standards. Moreover, she maintains that excluding women hampers the diversity and adaptability that by necessity will characterize the armed forces in the twenty-first century. In contrast, deYoung declares that the different physical fitness standards for men and women would, in combat, lower morale for both sexes and put women at risk of casualty. Further, she contends that women have neither the physical or emotional strength to endure the overall brutality of the combat experience. She also asserts that calls for lifting the combat ban are politically motivated and are inconsistent with the principles of American democracy and the mission of national defense. With each author responding to the views of the other, their exchange offers a valuable synthesis of the issues surrounding a longstanding debate among policymakers, military personnel, and scholars of both military history and women’s studies.

Moving Beyond G.I. Jane makes an essential contribution to the existing literature on the role of women in the military. The authors offer detailed analyses of current debates over integrating women into combat roles and the proper approach to confronting sexual harassment with the ranks. Each chapter includes concrete recommendations as to how the services should confront and manage these serious personnel problems. A survey of ROTC cadets provides additional data on the attitudes of future leaders. The book also identifies important ways in which female personnel can enhance effectiveness as the military adjusts to its changing role in the twenty-first century, particularly in peacekeeping operations.

This best-selling text introduces key theoretical perspectives on families, reflects the most current data and research, and uses cross-cultural comparisons to present the most comprehensive coverage of the family.