Lynn Stephen is Professor of Anthropology at the University of Oregon. She is author of "Women and Social Movements in Latin America: Power from Below" (1997) and "Zapotec Women" (1991), among other books.

María


Preface


Introduction


WomensRights


SalvadorsMothers oftheDisappeared COMADRES


CHAPTER4 The Politics ofUrban Survival


The Unintended Consequences of Traditional


The Womens Council of the Lázaro Cárdenas Ejido Union Nayarit


Class Gender and Autonomy


CHILE

Conclusions


Notes


Index

A gendered analysis of the National Security regimes that dominated South and Central America in the 1970s and '80s reveals a pattern of abuse of women that failed to register in the public consciousness.... The evidence compiled by Stephen, a feminist ethnographer, from archives and interviews with women in grassroots movements in El Salvador, Mexico, Brazil, and Chile reveals the breakdown of the patriarchal bargain: men in power withdrew protection from women, and women rebelled against the male domination that crippled them and left them unfit to lead their own lives. (Choice)

This book promises to make a significant contribution to the literature on women and social movements in Latin America. The fact that it draws upon collaborative relationships with the women written about is a further strength, making it of interest to activists and academics alike.... It would make an excellent teaching text, and it would also be of interest to general readers. (Florence E. Babb, author of Between Field and Cooking Pot: The Political Economy of Marketwomen in Peru)