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

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. The Challenge And Conceptual Framework -- The Context And Background -- Collective Action For Political Empowerment -- Collective Action For Economic Empowerment -- Collection Action For Educational And Occupational Empowerment -- Traditional Associations -- Mutual-aid Associations -- Islam And Women's Associations -- Christianity And Women's Associations -- Comparative Insights At The National Level -- Comparative Insights At The Regional/pan-african And International Levels -- Conclusion. By Filomina Chioma Steady. Includes Bibliographical References (p. [179]-199) And Index. Front Matter....Pages I-XVI The Challenge and Conceptual Framework....Pages 1-19 The Context and Background....Pages 21-36 Collective Action for Political Empowerment....Pages 37-58 Collective Action for Economic Empowerment....Pages 59-73 Collective Action for Educational and Occupational Empowerment....Pages 75-93 “Traditional” Associations....Pages 95-109 Mutual-Aid Associations....Pages 111-117 Islam and Women’s Associations....Pages 119-128 Christianity and Women’s Associations....Pages 129-140 Comparative Insights at the National Level....Pages 141-155 Comparative Insights at the Regional/Pan-African and International Levels....Pages 157-171 Conclusion....Pages 173-178 Back Matter....Pages 179-208 Extrait de la préface : "The research is based on extensive fieldwork in Freetown, Sierra Leone, that was conducted at various intervals for several years. Participant observation, in-depth interviews and life histories were the main methods used to study 80 women's associations. The last fieldwork in 2002 included administering open-ended questionnaires to a sample of focus group of associations. The objective was to assess the impact of the rebel war on these selected associations. While many were not functioning fully during the war, they have been very active in the postwar period." Examines women's movements and women's collective action in Africa. The author 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 included in this book guides a larger inquiry