Women and Collective Action in Africa: Development, Democratization, and Empowerment, with Special Focus on Sierra Leone

by Filomina Chioma Steady

This book examines women's movements and women's collective action in Africa. Steady begins her examination in pre-colonial times, moving through the colonial period to the present. She looks at the various arenas which collective action has and can influence, comparing the impact on economic growth, education, democratizations, family formation, and women's rights. Steady uses Sierra Leone as the focus of her inquiry, in order for a detailed story to illustrate larger themes, but in every area makes comparisons to different parts of Africa; the case study here guides a larger inquiry. Written as a text, the book carefully explains the theoretical ideas (e.g., all key terms are defined, and then there is a discussion of how they relate to African issues specifically) and the historical knowledge (e.g., all historical events are described, there is no assumption of knowledge of African history) necessary to understand the meaning of current women's groups. What results is a clear and comprehensive treatment of an issue which is increasingly central to understanding changes taking place on the African continent today.

Genres: History, Gender

224 pages, Paperback

First published December 10, 2005

Reviews

[Tinea · Rating 2 out of 5]

Steady is a fantastic theorist responsible for broadening feminist discourse to include "African feminism," her description of feminism as embedded in women's community support and interdependence and as a form of resistance against interpersonal but especially economic and colonial violence and domination. Feminist struggles cannot be separated from women's struggles for survial within global economic and imperial systems. Her theories build on intersectional work by third wave feminist authors like bell hooks and the Combahee River Collective, but because her writing is both international and African, she brings new insights into the discussion, especially on feminism a sa means for community empowerment (as opposed to individual and/or single gender).

This particular monograph, though, is the write-up of a major research study, long on reporting findings and short on lessons drawn. Unles you're seriously studying Sierra Leone specifically, the introductory and concluing chapters are worth it, but plenty enough. Check out her shorter articles, too.