Third World Women and the Politics of Feminism

Primarily of interest to academics, this collection of 15 essays offers examples of current feminist perspectives on race, class and Third World issues, and thoughts on appropriate approaches to these subjects. M. Jacqui Alexander's ``Redrafting Morality'' examines Trinidad and Togabo's 1986 Sexual Offenses Bill, finding that government has a ``major stake in promoting and defending conjugal masculinity'' and in subordinating women by recognizing them only as ``wives.'' In ``Gender and Islamic Fundamentalism,'' Nayereh Tohidi notes how the position of Iranian women has deteriorated since 1979--despite their active participation in the uprising against the Shah--and concludes that `` the women's question should not be relegated to the days after the revolutionital in text. .'' Russo, in ``We Cannot Live Without Our Lives,'' argues that white feminists should not dismiss racism as ``their'' problem but ``work with women of color as peers . . . which means we must give up sole power and control of feminist organizations, political agendas, and theoretical perspectives.'' The editors are academics who specialize in feminism and women's issues. Photos not seen by PW . (June)