Abstract
Shelly Grabe describes her process in creating this volume by reviewing the history of women’s human rights and violations to date, as well as the gains, challenges, and changes that have occurred, and need to occur, in order to address and advance women’s human rights. She acknowledges the complexity and intersections of identities and power structures that exist and need to be considered, examined, and included when planning, implementing, and engaging in liberation psychology research and practice. The subsequent three sections of the book—Resistance, Liberation, and Justice—provide varied topics (e.g., low-income LGBTGNC liberation, resilience stories of women survivors of war rape, Irish grassroots efforts for abortion rights) and research perspectives, along with specific details of the processes in which the scholars engaged. The methodology and research include theoretical discussion, analysis, and questioning of power and privilege dynamics. A great deal of material is provided for consideration and reflection during and after reading this collection
The contributors provide scholarly, yet accessible writing that is grounded in historical liberation psychology research (e.g., Freire, 1970; Martín-Baró, 1994) as well as current research, a bonus for both those who are familiar with and for those who are just beginning their journey in human rights psychology. All contributors share their practices of self-reflection and structural and theoretical analyses, address issues of power and social justice, and recognize the importance of a bottom-up versus top-down approach to social change in women’s human rights.
The timing of this publication occurred just as the #MeToo and Time’s Up movements began to gain momentum in the United States and ultimately became focal issues for the need for change in women’s human rights in the United States. Women started sharing their stories of sexual assault, harassment, and survival on social media and in more traditional media outlets (e.g., print and television interviews). These stories created more dialogue, and changes are happening. People who perpetrated these offenses against women are being held accountable. More women than ever in history are now involved in and running for political offices. As a result, 2019 has a record of 127 women in the U.S. Congress, and a record number of these are women of color. Women are stepping up and creating coalitions of change. Examples of how to create permanent changes are needed, and this volume is an effort in that direction. Through the thoughtfulness and precise writing of these authors, researchers, and educators, others involved in creating change in the world have a model to refer to, grow from, and be inspired by when working to advance and sustain women’s human rights.
Anjali Dutte (2017), one of the contributors, describes being invited by Shelly Grabe to “take risks, be bold, and develop new ideas of how psychology can be relevant in the study or actualization of women’s human rights” (p. 215). Each section contributor and chapter author accomplished this in her own personal and unique way and left me not only wanting to change the world, but also provided specific, yet flexible and adaptable methodologies and examples of how to do this in liberation psychology research and practice. Grabe’s invitation was generously and beautifully accepted, and the result makes this a compelling and informative read for those new to the history of women’s rights, as well as those who are more familiar, and those who made—and are making history—in women’s human rights.