Gender policies from Portuguese colonialism, through Frelimo socialism, to later neo-liberal economic regimes share certain basic assumptions about women, men and gender relations - but to what extent do such assumptions fit the ways in which rural Mozambican men and women see themselves?

"This volume sets out to investigate critically existing lines of thought about sexuality in Africa, while also creating space for alternative approaches"--P. [4] of cover.

This is the first book to comparatively explore the gendered and sexual body in Mozambican literature, engaging in dialogue the work of six authors spanning different generations, styles and aesthetics. It offers a fresh and creative new perspective on Mozambican history, political life and literary output.

Beyond Inequalities is a series of publications which profile the status of women in Southern Africa, and the initiatives being made to mainstreamgender in development processes in the region. The series presents the situation of women and men in the Southern African Development Community(SADC) as a region, and in each member country; and reviews the roles and responsibilities, access to and control over resources, decision-making powers, needs and constraints of women vis-a-vis men. The series is forward looking, based on an assessment that inequalities are now generally acknowledged as an impediment to development and economic growth in most countries and regions of the world. The twelve country profiles document and analyse information along themes drawn from theCritical Areas of Concern identified in the Beijing Platform for Actionand derived from what the countries of the region consider to bepriorities. Each profile is in three parts: Situation Analysis, Policiesand Programmes, and the Way Forward, and each has references, bibliography, appendices, and illustrative tables, figures and boxes.

This volume is a multi-disciplinary contribution to contemporary and historical dynamics that shape the vibrant cultural, political, economic and social world of Mozambique. Comprising a global range of scholars, the book serves as a generous introduction to Mozambique.