Women's rights in democratizing states
Subtitle: just debate and gender justice in the public sphere
By: Denise M. Walsh
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Published: 2011
Place of publication: Cambridge; New York
Language: eng
Number of pages: 286
ISBN-13: 9781107001916
Subjects: Democratization; Women's rights; Political activity; New democracies; Women
Description: "This study offers a new explanation for why advances in women's rights rarely occur in democratizing states. Drawing on deliberative theory, Denise Walsh argues that the leading institutions in the public sphere are highly gendered, meaning women's ability to shape the content of public debate and put pressure on the state to advance their rights is limited. She tests this claim by measuring the openness and inclusiveness of debate conditions in the public sphere during select time periods in Poland, Chile and South Africa. Through a series of structured, focused comparisons, the book confirms the importance of just debate for securing gender justice. The comparisons also reveal that counter publics in the leading institutions in the public sphere are crucial for expanding debate conditions. The book concludes with an analysis of counter publics and suggests an active role for the state in the public sphere"--Provided by publisher.
Notes: Includes bibliographical references (p. 233-271) and index.
Table of contents: title: Part I. Just Debate: 1. Democratization and just debate; 2. Just debate in the public sphere; 3. Probing and testing just debate; title: Part II. Just Debate in Democratizing States: 4. Just debate denied: socialist and post-socialist Poland; 5. Just debate diverges: regime breakdown in Chile and South Africa; 6. Just debate prevails: the liberal moment in South Africa; 7. Just debate declines: consolidation in South Africa; title: Part III. Gender Justice: 8. Pursuing just debate.