The third edition of Gender Through the Prism of Difference adopts a global, transnational perspective on how race, class, and sexual diversity are central to the study of sex and gender. In contrast with other books in this area--which tend to focus on U.S. or European viewpoints--this book features many articles based on research done elsewhere throughout the world. The editors introduce this wide-ranging collection with a provocative analytical introduction that sets the stage for understanding gender as a socially constructed experience. Featuring mostly new readings, the book covers timely subjects--such as gender and popular culture, Islam, and men and war--to help students make a connection between the issues raised in the book and current events. It also addresses a number of compelling topics, including the effects of globalization on notions of masculinity, the difficulties faced by Muslim women living in post-9/11 America, and the perceptions of "blackness" worldwide. Guiding students through the complex realities of early twenty-first century gender relationships, Gender Through the Prism of Difference is ideal for undergraduate or graduate courses in the sociology of gender; women's studies; gender roles; the sociology of women; women in society; race, class, and gender; feminist theory; and social inequality.
Maxine Baca Zinn is at Michigan State University.
