TWO books on the problems of feminism are the first in a series commissioned by the Socialist Society entitled "Crisis in the Eighties'.
contributions ranging from academic reviews of critiques of the family to memories of communal living.
The book attempts to family within the context of the developments over the last two decades.
But with few exceptions, ignore or dismiss the relationship of the family to the productive forces and hence how women are affected by the family.
The exceptions dIC Susan Himmelweit's WagFamily and The State and Welfare and Women's Independence by Fran Bennett.
Both of these take serious look at the role the state plays family and women's lives and the role the state should play to help break down the division of labour that exists under capitalism.
But overall conclusions by Lynne Segal reduce the answer …TO question 'What is to be done about the Family? virtually to one of 'women challenging power, demanding that. men confront each otherhat is to be done about Violence Against What is to be done about the Family includes place the 'present-day' the contributions Women by Elizabeth Wilson gets to grips with the family much more than Segal's collection.
Reviewed by Tessa van Gelderen extreme v seridas look that a c serious l00k ferent aspects of violence that women face, and conmonts in a numder or lnstances some of the views ton movement Throughout the book Elizabeth Wilson is not afraid to raise both thorny assues like love 'morality'.
She argues that everyone's life (women, children men) distorted by the kind of These two books and Jericho are avase from te the Bookshop, a pse , 328 Upper Street, LOnUOll Digbeth, Birmingham B5. society we live in. She tries to anaivse whv such a deep fear of women that they will not only perpetuate the most horrific acts violence against are completely freaked out Dy pictures or male nudes on the office wall.
concludes that nothing will really Chale "so long as society is run on the profit motive while at the same time, rightly supporting campaigning now for reforms that might help women.
The book's weakness is its failure to link. such campaigns how society itself might be changed. But read Elizabeth Wilson's book and you will learn more about what we should do about the family than in Lynne Segal's.
What is to be done about Family Ed. Lvnne Segal. What is to be done about Violence Against Wilson. Both published by Women. Elizabeth Penguin. £2.50.
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