Gender and the Political Opportunities of Democratization in South Korea - by N Jones (Hardcover)

Book Synopsis

This book explores how political opportunities afforded by democratization, including the relative balance of power between conservative and progressive civic actors, shape power relations between men and women in post-authoritarian Korea. Jones reveals that organized women can make a difference - depending on their strategic choices and alliances, and the manner in which they negotiate evolving political institutions. Moreover, democratic consolidation need not be led by political parties, but can provide surprising opportunities for an organized civil society to press for a deepening of political and human rights.

Review Quotes

"Nicola Jones wields a rich and compelling case study of South Korea to develop a dynamic model for studies of gender and democratization worldwide. Combining innovative methodology with astute analytical insight, Gender and the Political Opportunities of Democratization brilliantly illuminates the complex interplay, over time, of structure and agency, state and civil society, women's organizations and conservative cultural forces, gender policy and everyday practices." - Nancy A. Hewitt, Director, Institute for Research on Women, Rutgers University

"Theoretically rigorous, empirically rich, and full of insightful policy prescriptions, this book definitely elevates the literature on Korean democratization to a higher plane. It is an indispensable book for practitioners and scholars of democratization, social movements, and gender politics in Korea and beyond." - Sunhyuk Kim, Korea University

About the Author

NICOLA ANNE JONES is the International Co-odinator of the research study Young Lives: An International Study of Childhood Poverty.