Women and the State: International Perspectives explores the historical and structural boundaries within which women act, relate to each other and deal with the state in the Third World. It is conscious of the fact that 'much Western feminist state theory has largely ignored the experience of Third World women'.

This is true both in terms of knowledge of the diverse forms of activities women undertake and in the application of theoretical constructs about gender relations and the status of women which may be of little relevance to Third World women.

This book aims to redress this imbalance through the presentation of a wide-ranging selection of case studies, describing and evaluating women's political, social and economic involvement in Third World countries. It examines how women interact with the state and what problems, obstacles and opportunities these dealings produce.

It explores both the specific experiences of women (for example, the legal status of women in South Eastern Africa, the role of women in the informal economy in China, and their influence over legislation in Chile) and also certain common themes such as identity, empowerment and the conflict between tradition and modernity.