Provides a vitally needed analysis of women’s historical, social, and cultural roles, also influenced by class and race, over the last 200 years.”—New Directions for Women
“A milestone in studies of Latin American women and feminism. Of tremendous scope, synthesis, and clarity, this history of Latin American Women is organized around the idea that ‘in the Latin American context, women’s history is posited as part of the search for social and political justice for all people.’ Miller’s work is of tremendous value because it bases itself primarily on the growing body of feminist scholarship on Latin America from a broad range of disciplines, amply documented in the notes and bibliography.”—Signs
“Francesca Miller offers an elegant panorama of Latin American women’s movements from the late 19th century to the present . . . There is magic here. Miller is able to capture the passion, drive, beliefs, and commitments of the upper-class reformers, revolutionaries, and global democrats alike. One hears the reverberation of their voices, and finally one understands that these are real militants, not flirts who cajole limited reforms from truculent men . . . The conclusions drawn from this comprehensive study are both accurate and insightful. This book can and should be used in history courses about Latin American women, women in general, U.S.–Latin American diplomatic relations, and the national period surveys. Researchers interested in Latin American women should consult this book for information on current affairs. Miller has made a significant contribution to Latin American history.”—American Historical Review
“Miller’s study traces the social history of women in the Caribbean and in Central and South America from the conquest and settlement to the present. Recounting the tales of such exemplary women as Flora Tristan in the 19th century and Magda Portal in the 20th, Miller bases her feminist analysis on new methods and sources for exploring women’s history. Her lengthy discussion of 20th-century feminist congresses calling for such reforms as equal pay for equal work and paid maternity leave point out the similarities to women’s movements in the United States and Europe. Miller concludes her book with an evaluation of the importance of such recent international forums as the United Nations Decade of Women to the contemporary women’s movement in Latin America. For all libraries with feminist and women’s history collections.”—Library Journal
