Study of informal women's organizations partic. Of rural women and their development potential in Africa and Asia - discusses their structural characteristics, incl. Flexibility in membership, purposes, hierarchy, etc.; examines social role, economic role and political participation of women through traditional household activities; stresses importance of informal relationships and networks; emphasizes need to respect them when promoting development and structural change; analyses resistance to formalization. Bibliography.

Informal associations among women in developing countries constitute an important source of vitality and integrity for women. This book evaluates the impact of development programs on women’s informal associations and sharpens our understanding of them. The participation of women in development via their informal networks presents a dilemma insofar

An examination of the class and gender conditions of working-class women in the coal mining fields reveals how they struggled for development and change and how the struggle sometimes lead to empowerment.

Extrait de la couverture : "Contrary to expectations, the recent emphasis on environmental and communitarian rights (as in wasteland and watershed development in South Asia) has reinforced existing gender biases and created new inequalities. This significant volume critically examiines the complex and many-layered process of mainstreaming gender in natural resource management. The contributors build a richly textured 'genderscape' of community resource rights in varied contexts ; unravel the gender barriers in traditional practices, community institutions and modern systems of governance ; document diverse approaches to livelihood ; and present a strong case for gender equity in sustainable resource management."

A challenge to economic theories that view the household as a harmonious unit with a single decision-maker, this book shows that in the Third World the household is an arena of conflict marked by inequality and negotiation over income and expenditures. Dwyer and Bruce's introduction is followed by eleven field studies: four in Asia, four in Africa and the Middle East, and three in the Caribbean and Central America. These twelve essays, by economists, sociologists, anthropologists and demographers provide a cogent analysis of household structure dynamics and women's bargaining context. This book will be of interest not only to specialists in gender studies but also to ethnologists and other social scientists.

This annual series, published in co-operation with the Women in International Development Program at Michigan State University, uses a multidisciplinary approach to explore women's experiences across a wide range of geographical areas, economic sectors, and societal institutions. The articles presented in each volume synthesize a growing body of literature on key issues, suggest priorities for research, and propose changes in development policy and programming. Each volume is divided into three major sections. In the first, contributors distill and interpret research in review articles; in the second - a trend report - they provide original analysis of existing data sets; and in the final section, they analyze a specific research concern from varying perspectives.