Edwards - Womens Movements in Asia: Feminisms and Transnational Activism

Womens Movements in Asia

This book is a comprehensive study of womens activism across Asia. With chapters written by leading international experts, it provides a full overview of the history of feminism, as well as the current context of the womens movement in twelve countries: the Philippines, China and Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, Singapore, Vietnam, Thailand, Cambodia, Korea, India and Pakistan.

Womens movements in Asia were simultaneously transnational in outlook and indigenizing in orientation. This volume provides country-focused case studies that help us understand the contexts within which national essence feminism emerged in Asia. Western feminisms were immediately identified as Other compelling each Asian country to search for its own unique answers to the woman question by deconstructing how the feminine was constructed not just by culture and religions but also by history and the experiences of colonialism and imperialism. The chapters reveal how Asian activists mobilized transnational forums and protocols to legitimize their specific national campaigns.

Each chapter includes a comprehensive bibliography of key works in the field making it ideal for courses on women and feminism in Asia. It will appeal both to students and specialists in the fields of gender and social and political history.

Louise Edwards is Professor of Modern China Studies at the University of Hong Kong.

Mina Roces is an Associate Professor in the School of History and Philosophy, The University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.

Experts in analysing gender issues offer this unique comparative analysis of the evolution of national essence feminism in the context of global feminism. To find out how the womens movement in twelve Asian nations have fought for bodily autonomy, participation in politics and religion, new definitions of womanhood, changed family relations and much more this book is the best (indeed the only) one to read.

Chilla BulbeckProfessor emerita and visiting research fellow, The University of Adelaide, Australia

Womens Movements in Asia

Feminisms and transnational activism

Edited by

Mina Roces and Louise Edwards

LONDON AND NEW YORK

First published 2010
by Routledge
2 Park Square, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon OX14 4RN

Simultaneously published in the USA and Canada
by Routledge
270 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10016

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This edition published in the Taylor & Francis e-Library, 2010.

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2010 Editorial Selection and matter, Mina Roces and Louise Edwards.
Individual chapters, the contributor.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced or
utilized in any form or by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now
known or hereafter invented, including photocopying and recording, or in
any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing
from the publishers.

British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Womens movements in Asia: feminisms and transnational activism/
edited by Mina Roces and Louise Edwards.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
1. FeminismAsia. 2. WomenPolitical activityAsia. 3. Transnationalism.
I. Roces, Mina, 1959 II. Edwards, Louise P.
HQ1726.W695 2010
305.42095dc22
2009047320

ISBN 0-203-85123-4 Master e-book ISBN

ISBN: 978-0-415-48702-3 (hbk)

ISBN: 978-0-415-48703-0 (pbk)

ISBN: 978-0-203-85123-4 (ebk)