Librería Portfolio

Rwanda and Bosnia both experienced mass violence in the early 1990s. Less than ten years later, Rwandans surprisingly elected the world´s highest level of women to parliament. In Bosnia, women launched thousands of community organizations that became spaces for informal political participation. The political mobilization of women in both countries complicates the popular image of women as merely the victims and spoils of war. Through a close examination of these cases, Marie E. Berry unpacks the puzzling relationship between war and women´s political mobilization. Drawing from over 260 interviews with women in both countries, she argues that war can reconfigure gendered power relations by precipitating demographic, economic, and cultural shifts. In the aftermath, however, many of the gains women made were set back. This book offers an entirely new view of women and war, and includes concrete suggestions for policy makers, development organizations, and activists supporting women´s rights.

Explains the historical background of the wars in Rwanda and Bosnia in detail
Aimed at students and researchers in gender, genocide, human rights, or comparative international studies
Offers new insights to policy makers, NGOs, and anyone interested in promoting gender equality in conflict-affected areas



Table of Contents

1. From violence to mobilization: war, women, and power
2. Historical roots of mass violence in Rwanda
3. War and structural shifts in Rwanda
4. Women´s political mobilization in Rwanda
5. Historical roots of mass violence in Bosnia-Herzegovina
6. War and structural shifts in Bosnia-Herzegovina
7. Women´s political mobilization in Bosnia-Herzegovina
8. Limits of mobilization
9. Conclusion.