American feminism: a contemporary history

Abstract

In this literary, cultural and political history, French sociologist Ginette Castro tells the story of the contemporary women's movement in the United States. From the liberal feminists, like Betty Friedan, Mary Daly, and the members of NOW, to the radical feminists, including Kate Millett, Ti-Grace Atkinson, and New York Radical Women, Cell 16, Dr Castro offers an enlivened yet balanced account of the many different ideological currents within the movement. Perhaps central to her contribution is the re-examination of the role of the radical feminists, and her efforts to neutralise the sensationalism which has become attached to this segment of the movement. Dr. Castro captures the diversity of expression and yet the underlying unity, and potential for ideological synthesis in the feminist movement. American makes an invaluable contribution to understanding the course of feminism in the United States and its radical roots, and is likely to become a standard history for the contemporary women's movement.