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Women’s Homelessness in Europe

by Paula Mayock and Joanne Bretherton

This book marks a critical contribution in assessing and extending the evidence base on the causes and consequences of women’s homelessness. Drawing together work from Europe’s leading homelessness scholars, it presents a multidisciplinary and comparative analysis of this acute social problem, including its relationship with domestic violence, lone parenthood, motherhood, health and well-being and women’s experience of sustained and recurrent homelessness. Working from diverse perspectives, the authors look at the responses to women’s homelessness in differing cultures and regions, and within various forms of welfare states. They focus in particular on relating the gender dimensions of welfare and social policy to women’s experiences when they become homeless. This innovative and timely edited volume will appeal to students and scholars of sociology, social policy, anthropology, and gender and women’s studies, along with international policy-makers.

Women's Imprisonment: A Study in Social Control (Routledge Revivals)

by Pat Carlen

First published in 1983, Women’s Imprisonment explores the meanings of women’s imprisonment and, in particular, the wider meanings of the ‘moment’ of prison. Based on officially sponsored research in Cornton Vale, Scotland’s only women’s prison, the book makes extensive use of interviews with sheriffs, policemen, and social workers, as well as observation in the prisons, the courts, and the lodging-houses. The author quotes from interviews with women recidivist prisoners, the judges who send them to prison, and the agencies which assist them in between their periods of imprisonment. In doing so, questions are raised about the meanings of imprisonment and the penal disciplining of women at the time of original publication. The book also examines the changing and various meanings of imprisonment in general and the invisible nature of the social control of women in particular.

Women's Issues in Social Policy (Routledge Library Editions: Women in Society)

by Mavis Maclean Dulcie Groves

During the 1980s a notable development in mainstream social policy in the United Kingdom was the emergence of a feminist critique. Originally published in 1991, Women’s Issues in Social Policy was intended as a contribution to the social policy literature which could also be used in a women’s studies context. It demonstrates the impossibility of understanding the welfare state without appreciating how it treats women, especially as dependants within the family, and the conflicts of interest between men and women as well as the unequal power relationships in the welfare context. It also highlights the fact that women’s traditional role in welfare provision is as unpaid carers for children, the elderly and incapacitated people, and is particularly concerned with the everyday experiences and dissatisfactions of women which had largely been ignored within mainstream social policy research and literature at the time.Women’s Issues in Social Policy incorporates recent research findings written from a feminist perspective and reveals the breadth and depth of recent work in previously unexplored areas such as time budgeting and transport, as well as developing analysis in traditional areas of interest such as health and personal care.The editors also looked into the wider European context and included a chapter which examines whether the abortion issue would give birth to feminism in Poland.Women’s Issues in Social Policy will be of value to teachers and students of social policy and women’s studies, as well as of interest to the general reader.

Women's Leadership Journeys: Stories, Research, and Novel Perspectives (Leadership: Research and Practice)

by Sherylle J. Tan Lisa DeFrank-Cole

This volume brings together research from leading scholars with stories from women leaders in diverse sectors to provide insights from their leadership journeys. The book begins with personal stories of women’s leadership journeys by chief executive officers, a former U.S. ambassador, a college president, and others. The stories enable readers to make sense of their own leadership journeys by learning about the varied paths to leadership and taking note of key elements such as role transitions, defining moments, identity development, and growth mindsets. Next, scholars discuss novel research that can guide women in navigating their journeys to leadership, including on followership, competition, representation of women in politics, and the role of biology in leadership. This must-have volume offers cutting-edge perspectives and a guide for women to navigate their own journeys to impactful leadership.

Women's Lives: A Psychological Exploration

by Claire A. Etaugh Judith S. Bridges

Women’s Lives: A Psychological Exploration, 3rd Edition draws on a wealth of the literature to present a rich range of experiences and issues of relevance to girls and women. This text offers the unique combination of a chronological approach to gender that is embedded within topical chapters. Cutting-edge and comprehensive, each chapter integrates current material on women differing in age, ethnicity, social class, nationality, sexual orientation and ableness. The third edition reflects substantial changes in the field while maintaining its empirical focus through engaging writing, student activities, and critical thinking exercises. With over 2,100 new references emphasizing the latest research and theories, the authors continue to pique interests in psychology of women.

Women's Lives: A Psychological Exploration (4th Edition)

by Claire A. Etaugh Judith S. Bridges

<p>This cutting-edge and comprehensive fourth edition of Women’s Lives: A Psychological Perspective integrates the most current research and social issues to explore the psychological diversity of girls and women varying in age, ethnicity, social class, nationality, sexual orientation, and ableness. Written in an engaging and accessible manner, its use of vignettes, quotes, and numerous pedagogical tools effectively fosters students’ engagement, active learning, critical thinking, and social activism. <p>New information covered includes: <p> <li>neoliberal feminism, standpoint theory, mujerista psychology (Chapter 1) <li>LGBT individuals and individuals with disabilities in media (Chapter 2) <li>testosterone testing of female athletes, precarious manhood (Chapter 3) <li>raising a gender non-conforming child, impact of social media on body image (Chapter 4) <li>gender differences in narcissism and Big Five personality traits, women video-game designers (Chapter 5) <li>asexuality, transgender individuals, sexual agency, "Viagra for women" controversy (Chapter 6) <li>adoption of frozen embryos controversy (Chapter 7) <li>intensive mothering, integrated motherhood, "living apart together", same-sex marriage (Chapter 8) <li>single-sex schooling controversy (Chapter 9) <li>combat roles opened to U.S. women, managerial derailment (Chapter 10) <li>work-hours dilemmas of low-wage workers (Chapter 11) <li>feminist health care model, health care for transgender individuals, Affordable Care Act (Chapter 12) <li>feminist critique of CDC guidelines on women and drinking (Chapter 13) <li>cyberharassment, gendertrolling, campus sexual assault (Chapter 14) <li>transnational feminism, men and feminism (Chapter 15)</li> <p> <p>Women’s Lives stands apart from other texts on the psychology of women because it embeds within each topical chapter a lifespan approach and robust coverage of the impact of social, cultural, and economic factors in shaping women’s lives around the world. It provides extensive information on women with disabilities, middle-aged and <p>Its up-to-date coverage reflects current scientific and social developments, including over 2,200 new references. This edition also adds several new boxed features for student engagement. In The News boxes present current, often controversial, news items to get students thinking critically about real-life applications of course topics. Get Involved boxes encourage students to actively participate in the research process. What You Can Do boxes give students applied activities to promote a more egalitarian society. Learn About the Research boxes expose students to a variety of research methods and highlight the importance of diversity in research samples by including studies of underrepresented groups.</p>

Women's Lives: A Psychological Exploration

by Claire A. Etaugh Judith S. Bridges

Women’s Lives integrates the most current research and social issues to explore the psychological diversity of girls and women varying in age, ethnicity, social class, nationality, immigrant experience, sexual orientation, gender identity, ableness and body size and shape. The text embeds a lifespan perspective within each topical chapter and has an intersectional approach that integrates women’s diverse identities. It includes rich coverage of women with disabilities and on middle-aged and older women throughout. Taking a deeper transnational focus, it also examines the impact of social, cultural, and economic factors in shaping women’s lives around the world. This edition explores the latest areas of research and tackles important contemporary topics such as: feminization of immigration media portrayals of LGBTQ individuals and immigrants regulating testosterone levels in women’s sports; disorders of sexual development; nonbinary identity the effects of social media on body image; sizeism new classification of sexual disorders menstrual equity and the "tampon tax" immigrant women as transnational mothers academic environment for low-income, ethnic minority, and immigrant women effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on women’s employment and work-family balance the dilemma of unpredictable work hours healthcare barriers experienced by immigrant women and LGBTQ individuals #MeToo movement; vigilante gender violence the fourth wave of feminism the role of immigrant women and ethinc minority women in grassroots feminist activism men’s support of feminist issues and more. Boasting a new full-color design and rich with pedagogy, the book includes several boxed elements in each chapter. "In The News" boxes present current news items designed to engage students in thinking critically about current gender-focused events and issues. The "What You Can Do" boxes give students examples of applied activities that they can engage in to promote a more egalitarian society. "Get Involved" boxes ask students to collect data and to critically think about the explanations and implications of the activity’s findings. "Learn About the Research" boxes expose students to a variety of research methods and highlight the importance of diversity in research samples by including studies of underrepresented groups. At the end of each chapter, "What Do You Think" questions foster skills in critical thinking, synthesis, and evaluation by asking the student to apply course material or personal experiences to provocative issues from the chapter. The "If You Want to Learn More" feature provides names of the most current books available on various topics that are discussed in the chapter. Combining up-to-date research with an approachable and engaging writing style, Women’s Lives is an invaluable resource for all students of gender from psychology, women’s studies, gender studies, sociology, and anthropology.

Women's Lives (Routledge Library Editions: Women in Society)

by Sue Llewelyn Kate Osborne

What are the patterns dominating women’s lives today? What are the issues which confront women in their relationships, their work, and their families? From adolescence and adult partnerships, through motherhood, to growing old Women’s Lives, originally published in 1990, explores themes which are central to women’s experience, focusing on areas such as growing up, women on their own, sexuality, bringing up children, and family relationships. Sue Llewelyn and Kate Osborne argue that a multi-faceted approach is needed to understand a woman’s life, taking in not only her personal psychology but also the social context in which she lives. The authors are both clinical psychologists with an interest in psychotherapy, and they draw on their own direct experience of working with women in distress, as well as on feminist writing, novels, and autobiographies to illustrate their arguments. Each chapter presents a detailed case history, highlighting an important aspect of women’s lives, and demonstrates the increased understanding to be gained from a combined approach using social psychology, feminist ideas, and psychodynamic insights.Designed for a wide readership, including psychologists, doctors, social workers, counsellors, and nurses, Women’s Lives will also be of great value to people on women’s studies courses and to those seeking a greater understanding of themselves or others.

Women's Lives after Marriage in Rural Sri Lanka: An Ethnographic Account of the ‘Beautiful Mistake'

by Tharindi Udalagama

Drawing on extensive research from a 14-month ethnographic study, this book delves into the intricate lives of married women in a rural Sinhala village in Sri Lanka. It explores their efforts to uphold community expectations while employing innovative and strategic approaches to navigate ruptures within their marital journeys. The chapters progress by dissecting the pivotal gender roles assumed by women in building happy marriages, establishing stable households, cultivating harmonious homes, and achieving effective household management. At the heart of this narrative is the concept of ‘homemaking,’ which symbolises not only family life but also social stature. The text discusses how the categorisation of homes as ‘good’ or ‘bad’ relies on women’s conscientious adherence to gender norms. Notably, the author also looks at the unique practice of married women resorting to sorcery as a means to mitigate the challenges stemming from marital disruptions while remaining aligned with societal gender expectations. Throughout, chapters systematically investigate the spectrum of opportunities available to these women, alongside the constraints they encounter, as they endeavour to cultivate successful marriages. Overall, the book provides profound insights into the complex interplay of married life, spotlighting women’s astute negotiations of their roles and adept management of ruptures within the framework of established gender norms. This book will be of interest to scholars in Gender Studies, Anthropology, Family Studies, and South Asian Studies.

Women's Movements: Flourishing or in abeyance? (Routledge Research in Comparative Politics)

by Sandra Grey Marian Sawer

Written by leading women's movement scholars, this book is the first to systematically apply the idea of social movement abeyance to differing national and international contexts. Its starting point is the idea that the women's movement is over, an idea promoted in the media and encouraged by scholarship that regards disruptive action as a defining element of social movements. It goes on to compare the trajectories over the past 40 years of women's movements in Australia, Canada, Japan, Korea, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the United States. Finally, it looks at the extension of feminist activism into supranational and subnational institutions—the global and the local—and into cyberspace. Comparing these diverse sites of political and social action illuminates some of the major opportunities and constraints that have impacted upon women’s movements. It advances our understanding of the lifecycles of social movements by examining the differing ways in which women's movements operate and sustain themselves over time and space, ways that often differ from those of male-led movements. The book also engages with the question of whether there is an on-going women's movement—with sufficient continuity to warrant description as such—by presenting the voices of young activists East and West. Filling an important gap in social movement research, this book will be of interest to sociologists, political scientists and gender studies scholars and researchers.

Women's Movements in the Global Era

by Amrita Basu

Women's Movements in the Global Era is a path-breaking study of the genesis, growth, gains, and dilemmas of women's movements in countries throughout the world. Its focus is on the Global South, where women's movements have engaged in complex negotiations with national and international forces. It challenges widely held assumptions about the Western origins and character of local feminisms. All the authors locate women's movements within the terrain from which they emerged by exploring their relationships with the state, civil society, and other social movements. This book is essential reading for anyone interested in the global scope and implications of feminism.

Women's Perspectives on Drugs and Alcohol: The Vicious Circle (Routledge Revivals)

by Pamela Raine

This title was first published in 2001. This text explores a number of questions concerning women's problem drug use and drinking. It details findings from research which examined the type of problems women experience; how, why and by whom a woman's substance abuse becomes identified as a problem; and what happens when they seek help. The author recognizes the centrality of gender and gender relationships and aims to go beyond the traditional view of gender that has been put foward in relation to substance abuse. She explores the complexities of gender as a process and an institution, and the subtle ways it infiltrates the lives of users. On a theoretical level, Pamela Raine introduces her ideas into a field where women have traditionally been the underdogs. She offers a thorough account of women's problematic experiences with alcohol and drugs, and consciously allows the voices of these women to come through. In turn, these voices are contextualized by key themes. For example, the substances created chaos in the lives of female users, while complex mechanisms of social control shaped their gendered experiences of these substances. Help-seeking responses of professionals and the advantages and disadvantages of treatment are contextualized as key areas in these gendered experiences. Finally, Raine makes recommendations matching the results of her research. The reader should learn how gender influences the ways in which users co-ordinate their space, their time, their substances, community resources, and others (whether other users, relatives, families or carers).

Women’s Political Participation in Bangladesh

by Pranab Kumar Panday

This volume offers an understanding of institutional reforms, gender-related policy dynamics, the role of different actors in the policy process, and the impact of a particular policy on the state of women's political participation in Bangladesh. The discussion is set against the background of the Fourth World Conference on Women, 1995, in Beijing, in which a Platform for Action signed by heads of governments expressed their countries' commitment to achieve 'gender equality and empowerment of women' through ensuring integration of the gender perspective at all levels. In Bangladesh, notable among the initiatives undertaken was the enactment of the Local Government (Union Parishads) (Second Amendment) of 1997, through which one-third of seats were reserved for women in the Union Parishad (UP) and the system of direct election was introduced to elect women members in reserved seats. The Act of 1997 is considered to be a milestone, since it has enhanced women's participation in the local government politics significantly. Against this background, the specific research questions that have been addressed in this volume include: the necessity of reform for enhancing women's participation in politics; the context against which the Government of Bangladesh enacted the Act and the reasons such an initiative was not taken earlier; the actors behind the reforms and their role in the reform process; and the impact of the reform on the state of women's participation at the local level in Bangladesh.

Women's Prison: Sex and Social Structure

by Gene Kassebaum

A thoroughly researched pioneering work based on personal interviews with inmates and prison personnel and on data compiled from questionnaires and inmate record files, Women's Prison reveals that homosexual liaisons are the primary foundation of the social structure of female inmates; shows that homosexual behavior can be a superficial kind of adjustment to particular situational privations; amplifies and broadens the application of earlier findings on men's prisons; opens the way for future studies involving the delineation of homosexual roles in the free community.This study began with both of the authors' interest in gathering data on women in prison to see whether there were female prisoner types consistent with the reported characteristics of male prisoners. Early in the course of this study it became apparent that the most salient distinction to be made among the female inmates was between those who were and those who were not engaged in homosexual behavior in prison, and further, of those who were so involved, between the incumbents of masculine and feminine roles.It has become increasingly apparent that prison behavior is rooted in more than just the conditions of confinement. Unlike their male counterparts who establish the so-called inmate code, women prisoners suffer intensely from the loss of affectional relationships and form homosexual liaisons as the primary foundation of their social organization. The great majority of homosexually involved inmates have their first affair in prison, returning to heterosexual roles outside prison.Women's Prison is a revealing study of social structure and homosexuality for sociologists; of vital interest to social workers, parole officers and chaplains dealing with female inmates as well as penologists and criminologists; and provocative reading for the non-specialist.

Women's Reflections on the Complexities of Forgiveness

by Wanda Malcolm Nancy DeCourville Kathryn Belicki

This book by women represents a diversity of opinions about every aspect of forgiveness, embodying a tolerance for differing perspectives. The contributors are researchers and therapists who have dedicated themselves to grappling with the controversies and conundrums associated with forgiveness. On the basis of their clinical and empirical work in the field, the authors have questioned established definitions, opposed emerging “truisms” within the field, and used research methods that run counter to traditional practices. The result is a compelling collection of research and clinical wisdom that pushes us to consider new perspectives on the mysterious process of forgiveness.

Women’s Rights in Movement: Dynamics of Feminist Change in Latin America and the Caribbean (Latin American Societies)

by Inés M. Pousadela Simone R. Bohn

This book provides an updated comparative overview of women’s movements in Latin America and the Caribbean, filling some of the gaps left by the existing literature. It brings together case studies of nine countries – Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Mexico, Nicaragua, and Peru – and includes a comparative analysis of the overall evolution of women’s rights movements across the region during the past decades. This analysis shows Latin America as the home to the largest, strongest, and most densely regionally and globally interconnected women’s rights movements in the Global South. Each chapter in this volume seeks to understand where the struggles for women’s rights come from, how they stand today and where they are headed to. To do so, they all use qualitative methodologies, and most resort to first-hand accounts of the processes described and reflections by the actors on their own experiences, collected through surveys, in-depth interviews and/or ethnographic observations. The comparative analysis of the different national case studies reveals the main struggles in which women’s rights movements are currently involved in Latin America and the Caribbean: the quest for political representation within the State and its political institutions; the fight against gender violence and the struggle for sexual and reproductive rights – especially abortion rights. Women’s Rights in Movement: Dynamics of Feminist Change in Latin America and the Caribbean will be a valuable resource for researchers, activists and policy makers interested in the struggles for women’s rights not only in Latin America and the Caribbean, but in different parts of the world. It will be of special interest to sociologists, political scientists, anthropologists and other social scientists working in interdisciplinary fields such as gender and social movements studies.

Women's Two Roles: Home and Work (International Library of Sociology #Vol. 137)

by Alva Myrdal Viola Klein

First published in 1998. Routledge is an imprint of Taylor & Francis, an informa company.

Women's Work: A Survey of Scholarship By and About Women

by Ellen Cole Esther D Rothblum Donna M Ashcraft

While most women’s studies texts function “topically” as “readings” for courses and general use, Women’s Work: A Survey of Scholarship By and About Women takes a broad spectrum of women’s disciplines--psychological, artistic, religious, and philosophical--and gives you a diverse, interdisciplinary view of this important and ever-expanding field of study in one accessible volume. You’ll see that women are leading the world into the twenty-first century in such areas as education, business, health, and science. You’ll also find your appreciation for the current developments in women’s studies increase as you see how far-reaching and multifaceted this crucial discipline really is.Women’s Work avoids the compilations of topical readings that tend to bog down typical women’s studies courses and explores the different disciplines that continue to make this field central to the development of the academic world community. You’ll find your perspective on women’s studies expand and take on new meaning as you delve into these and other areas: feminist approaches to research the lack of women in science and feminist critiques of science women and health psychology and discussions on sex differences, sex similarities, and gender roles communication differences between men and women women in literature, art history, and metaphysics Judeo-Christian religions and goddess religionsThis comprehensive compendium has something for everyone interested in the massive contribution that women have made--and will continue to make--in all areas of human development. All readers, especially women’s studies scholars, professors, students, and informed members of the general public looking for an excellent, up-to-date resource concerning the general direction of feminist disciplines today, will definitely want a copy of Women’s Work.

Women's Work: How Mothers Manage Flexible Working in Careers and Family Life

by Zoe Young

Shortlisted for the BSA Philip Abrams Memorial Prize 2019. What’s it really like to be a mother with a career working flexibly? Drawing on over 100 hours of interview data, this book is the first to go inside women’s work and family lives in a year of working flexibly. The private labours of going part-time, job sharing, and home working are brought to life with vivid personal stories. Taking a sociological and feminist perspective, it explores contemporary motherhood, work-life balance, emotional work in families, couples and housework, maternity transitions, interactions with employers, work design and workplace cultures, and employment policies. It concludes that there is an opportunity to make employment and family life work better together and offers unique insights from women’s lived experiences on how to do it.

Women's Work and Politics in WWI America: The Munsingwear Family of Minneapolis

by Lars Olsson

By World War I, the Northwestern Knitting Company was the largest workplace for gainfully employed women in Minnesota and the largest garment factory in the United States. Lars Olsson investigates the interplay of class, gender, marital status, ethnicity, and race in the labor relations at the factory, illuminating the lives of the women who worked there. Representing thirty nationalities, particularly Scandinavian, the women worked long hours for low pay in roles that were strictly divided along ethnic and gendered lines, while the company directors and stockholders made enormous profits off of their labor. Management developed paternal strategies to bind the workers to the company and preempt unionization, including bonus programs, minstrel shows, and a pioneering industrial welfare program. With the US entry into the war, the company was contracted to produce underwear for soldiers, and management expanded the metaphor of "the Munsingwear Family" to construct not just company loyalty, but national loyalty. This book sheds new light on women's labor in WWI and the lives of textile workers in the United States.

Women’s Work in the Pandemic Economy: The Unbearable Hazard of Hierarchy

by Myfan Jordan

This book explores two unique studies of women’s economic behaviour during Australia’s COVID-19 crisis. The first describes the care ‘frontline’ in the feminised labor sectors of healthcare and education, identifying extreme workload pressures, deteriorating conditions, and a shockingly high incidence of workplace bullying: including women targeting other women workers. The author argues workplace cultures are almost inevitable in Australia’s advanced neoliberal economy, where a patri-colonial legacy continues to devalue and under-resource women’s work.In contrast, a second study of voluntary care provisioning taking place in ‘hyperlocal digital sharing networks’ over the same period identifies very different economic behaviours. Here, women – and occasionally men – instead engage in ‘care-full’ labors of gifting, collective provisioning, and hive mind problem-solving, that align with the gift economy models seen in degrowth theory.This book will interest scholars in gender studies, sociology, and economics, particularly those interested in care work, the gift economy, and women’s labor.

Women's Work in the Unorganized Sector: Issues of Exploitation and Globalisation in the Beedi Industry

by Rekha Pande

This book probes into the beedi industry, a highly gendered and class-divided unorganised sector in India. It introduces an analysis of the lives, health status and work of the Indian women and girl children in the industry and discusses the role of gender constructions, global capitalism, and global racism in shaping the ideologies and conceptions about men and women at work. The volume presents a gendered postcolonial perspective on women's employment in the context of social and economic processes that are critical to globalization. It focuses on Telangana's Nizamabad district - where a majority of the women population are employed in the beedi industry. Through detailed surveys and case studies, the author analyses different aspects of exploitation of these women such as poor working conditions, income inequalities, health risks and the realities of child labour in the process of beedi making. Richly detailed, this book will be of great interest to students, researchers and teachers of geography, particularly human geography and feminist geography, women and gender studies, feminism, labour economics, capitalism, development studies, political sociology, and cultural studies. It will also be of interest to gender and feminist geographers, occupational health professionals, NGOs, and those interested in the issues of gender and development.

Women's Work is Never Done: Comparative Studies in Care-Giving, Employment, and Social Policy Reform

by Sylvia Bashevkin

First published in 2002. Routledge is an imprint of Taylor & Francis, an informa company.

Women’s work, men’s cultures

by Sarah Rutherford

Even when there is commitment from the leadership and management, equality and diversity policies often do not translate into a sustained increase in women at senior levels of the organisation. This book explains why and sets out what is needed to effect real change. The success of diversity programmes is dependent on organisational culture change. However the concept of culture is rarely defined, let alone systematically analysed to show its impact on gender. Dr Rutherford brings a sophisticated approach to the diversity discourse, using sociological and psychoanalytical theory to demonstrate the persistence of cultures which marginalise and exclude women in organisational life. The book makes clear links between what goes on in society and what goes on in organisations. Why do women still suffer from a lack of confidence and require tailored leadership programmes when they have been educated in the same way as men? Acknowledging and understanding this wider context can help organisations and their members move forward in their quest for more inclusive cultures. The book is not pessimistic, it is realistic. There has been a huge increase in women in the workforce over the past forty years. However for every advance there are new obstacles to overcome. The current vogue for explaining away women's lack of power in organisations through "differences" or 'choice' fails women, and is a strong example of the backlash that exists against the recent inroads women have made in public life.

Wonder: Childhood and the Lifelong Love of Science

by Frank C. Keil

How we can all be lifelong wonderers: restoring the sense of joy in discovery we felt as children.From an early age, children pepper adults with questions that ask why and how: Why do balloons float? How do plants grow from seeds? Why do birds have feathers? Young children have a powerful drive to learn about their world, wanting to know not just what something is but also how it got to be that way and how it works. Most adults, on the other hand, have little curiosity about whys and hows; we might unlock a door, for example, or boil an egg, with no idea of what happens to make such a thing possible. How can grown-ups recapture a child&’s sense of wonder at the world? In this book, Frank Keil describes the cognitive dispositions that set children on their paths of discovery and explains how we can all become lifelong wonderers. Keil describes recent research on children&’s minds that reveals an extraordinary set of emerging abilities that underpin their joy of discovery—their need to learn not just the facts but the underlying causal patterns at the very heart of science. This glorious sense of wonder, however, is stifled, beginning in elementary school. Later, with little interest in causal mechanisms, and motivated by intellectual blind spots, as adults we become vulnerable to misinformation and manipulation—ready to believe things that aren&’t true. Of course, the polymaths among us have retained their sense of wonder, and Keil explains the habits of mind and ways of wondering that allow them—and can enable us—to experience the joy of asking why and how.

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