The Womens Suffrage Movement New Feminist Perspectives - Book Report/Review Example

Introduction The essay intends to review the two books "The Women’s Suffrage Movement: New Feminist Perspectives" and "Feminism and Democracy: Women’s Suffrage and Reform Politics in Britain". The essay also purposes to have a comparative analysis of the two books to get a better understanding on the subject area. The essay makes a brief description of the two books and its contents. Further the author’s approach, findings and the arguments are also considered in the comparative analysis. Last but not the least a conclusion is being drawn from the analysis. The book "The Women’s Suffrage Movement: New Feminist Perspectives" is written by Maroula Joannou and June Purvis. Maroula Joannou, the author of the book is the Senior Lecturer in Anglia Polytechnic University, Cambridge of English as well as is the Coordinator in Women's Studies of the M.A. Another contributor of this book June Purvis, is a sociology professor at Portsmouth University. The other book "Feminism and Democracy: Women’s Suffrage and Reform Politics in Britain" is written by Sandra Stanley Holton. The two books were significantly about feminism and their democracy. Furthermore, the two books briefly illustrate the history of women and their condition that deprives them to have the fundamental rights of voting. The books provide evidences from the history in regards to the suffrage movements. Moreover, it also provides evidences of the neglected group of people who were deprived from all sorts of social benefits that are most fundamental in nature1. Two books are important materials to study in order to have a suffice knowledge about the past scenario of women in the world. Both the books suggest the importance of woman suffrage i.e. right to vote. The books emphasize the woman suffrage movement that protests against the system of the nation, which deprives the fundamental right of voting. It was witnessed that the voting right to the woman gives a scenario of gender equality in social environment. Moreover, it is because of the suffrage movement that the woman in the present day context is having the voting right. The books also provide insights about various other movements and struggles by the people of the past for equality. These movements were for the people who had been neglected in the society. The neglected groups were deprived from all sort of social needs including the right to vote in electing the government of the country. Furthermore, the neglected groups were considered as the social evils by the rest of the people. This had made them to live in the periphery of the society2. Books’ Structure The Women’s Suffrage Movement: New Feminist Perspectives This book is the collection of the different essays that are related to the women’s suffrage movement. The book is written by two authors, Maroula Joannou and June Purvis as stated above. The two authors have largely contributed in the structuring of the book through inclusions of several essays and contents on the basis of the women’s suffrage movement and their standard during that era. The book is not about a step by step progression of the events relating to the women’s suffrage movement, but it is of a kind where the book contains all the collection of essays relating to the topic irrespective of a definite order3. The book relates with the situation of women and their attitude, approach towards the scenario. Feminism and Democracy: Women’s Suffrage and Reform Politics in Britain This book is written by the famous writer Sandra Stanley Holton. Holton in this book has shown the numerous events and evidences based upon the suffrage movement of the women that had taken place in the past. Hence, the structure of the book is prominently based upon the events and evidences of the history that are related to the women’s suffrage movements. The events that were included in the book also contain the labor movements that were allied with the women’s suffrage movement. The book also has a structure, which is on the category of step by step progression of the events that are in the context of feminism and democracy. The book states about the right to vote that was earlier only meant for men, but later people especially the women realized that they should have the equal right for electing government. This spirit of reformation of the democratic system led to the formation of the militant groups. However, in the meantime there was an alliance of the women’s suffrage movement with the labor movement. This alliance increased their strength and had led to the formation of a war like scenario. Last but not the least, the effort was successful and the women gained the voting rights. Thus, it is very clear that the structure of the book is completely on the basis of step by step progression of the events that are related to the gaining of the voting right by the women4. Books’ Approach The Women’s Suffrage Movement: New Feminist Perspectives Maroula Joannou one of the authors in this book has a stylish writing pattern. This is evident and prominently seen in this book, where she articulated all the relevant aspects of the topic in a very artistic manner. She also had been very concerned about the negative issues of the society in her writings regarding the voting right. Nevertheless, author Joannou in this book has shown a holistic approach towards the formation of the book, depicting all the possible relevant contents that are needed to suffice the importance of the book5. June Purvis, the other woman author also has made significant contribution in the writing of the book. She had been concerned about writing various topics that are related to the history especially regarding women democracy. The evidences and events of history relating to the women’s suffrage movement is also been mentioned in the book in a very illustrative manner. Moreover, she also gave equal importance to the sociological and feministic aspects in this book to understand the behavior and mentality of the people of that era. She also used several biographies of the women in developing the book6. Feminism and Democracy: Women’s Suffrage and Reform Politics in Britain Sandra Stanley Holton, the author of the mentioned book has generated the scientific approach in writing the book to attract the readers. The scientific approach means the inclusion of the various facts and evidences from the history relating to feminism and democracy. The book states the importance of the women movement and the related outcome. The author has mentioned several facts and evidences including the inclusion of the labor movement to determine the position of women in the past. The labor movement in the Britain that later allied with the women suffrage movement got more powerful is also illustrated in the book while analyzing the women power. Moreover, she had shown all the aspects that are related to reformation of the politics in Britain in the context of women’s voting right in order to promote equality7. Books’ Main Arguments The Women’s Suffrage Movement: New Feminist Perspectives In the book, the two authors have clearly suggested all the possible pros and cons that are associated with the women’s suffrage movement and the women’s voting right proposal. The main argument in this book is the inclusion of a policy that would allow women to possess the voting right in electing her government. In this context, one of the main decisive arguments in favor of the new policy is that the women should have the equal position in the society as compared to that of the men. However, there were also some arguments that were against the policy. One of the most important is that the inclusion of the new policy does make a little change in the position of the women in the society as compared to that of the men. Correspondingly, arguments were also made for the liberalization of women in the society, so that the women are completely independent to make their personal decision, without the influence of the family members and the society. Moreover, there were arguments based on the legal and social reformation relating to the status of women in the society8. Feminism and Democracy: Women’s Suffrage and Reform Politics in Britain Holton, in her book argued primarily of the feminism and the democracy. She notably, introduced the importance of the suffrage movement in Britain by women. Moreover, she argued about the importance of adult suffrage throughout the world, and so also the importance of women suffrage. She also has argued about uplifting the position of the labor class people in the society to mitigate the negativity of inequality and discrimination. In this context, it can be witnessed as per the book that the labor class people were widely seen to be deprived of the various social needs in that period9. Books’ Main Findings The Women’s Suffrage Movement: New Feminist Perspectives There are various outcomes and findings that were depicted in the book in the context of women’s suffrage movement. It is widely seen that the poor women were primarily deprived of various social needs because they did not have the power to protest against the wrongful deeds. The economically backward women were mostly affected from the social biasness. It is also witnessed that these women were deprived of the legal support as well due to their weak position in the society10. Feminism and Democracy: Women’s Suffrage and Reform Politics in Britain Subsequently, Holton, in her book has depicted several findings from numerous evidences and facts from history that are relevant to the topic. She has revealed that poor condition of women in the world especially in Britain were due to the lack of power. She has also disclosed the poor condition of the labor class people throughout the world. The women of the labor class are highly deprived of the social needs and do not have any right to confer any arguments in the social meetings and gatherings11. Comparison of the Two Books Structure The two books have significant differences with regard to the structuring of the same. The book written by Maroula Joannou and June Purvis is a collection of number of essays that is relevant to women’s suffrage movement. The book does not have any specific order in its contents and progression of the book is without any specific order. However, in the book of Holton, a specific order of step by step progression of events is followed to get a proper understanding of the event. The book is illustrated in a specific order from beginning with realization of the need of reformation of the women’s suffrage. Then it is followed by the formation of militants and the alliance of the labor movement and the women’s suffrage movement. Finally, the generation of a war like scenario and hence, the success of the movement at the last. This is totally unlike in case of the book written by Joannou and Purvis, where all the relevant elements were poured in the book irrespective of any order like step by step progression, chronological order, or more. Moreover, the book written by Holton, also contain some of the facts and evidences from the past. The amount of evidences from the history that were depicted in the book of Holton is significantly seen. She has used several biographies of various women in the society of that period. Hence, the author portrayed the factual evidences of the history in relevance to the topic of the book. Nevertheless, the book written by Joannou and Purvis also provided several evidences that are related to its topic, but it is not as suffice as compared to that of the book written by Holton12. Approach The book written by Joannou and Purvis uses a stylish approach in their writings to attract the readers. She in her writings very generously used the words that truly portrayed the pathetic condition of the women in the world. Although, Holton is also a very reputed author, but when the question comes of being the stylist writer, Joannou is always being the favorite of many people. However, Holton who is known for using the scientific approach of writing in her books also did the same in this mentioned book. She used several evidences and facts in her writing from the history and the facts from that period. Although, Joannou and Purvis has also mentioned some of the facts and evidences but it is definitely less than the book of Holton. Moreover, Holton had elaborately revealed the contribution of the labor movement that had played a significant role in the development of the women’s voting right, while in the book of Joannou and Purvis, the contribution of the labor movement is depicted, but not at par to the book of Holton. However, the book of Joannou and Purvis is slightly more concerned about the sociological and the feministic aspect than the book of Holton. Moreover, the book of Joannou and Purvis has shown more holistic approach, depicting the entire possible facts and evidences regarding the relevant topic13. Methodology The two stated books do not have as such differences with regard to the methodology that the authors had applied. The two books have largely used the qualitative approach as the methodology for writing the books in order to determine and recognize the standard of women. However, the book written by Holton contains some elements of the quantitative approach and observations. Therefore, it can be stated that the author followed a hybrid methodology. The two books were written on evidences from various biographies and the autobiographies of the people especially women. Moreover, there are numerous observations to the pathetic conditions of the people and the women suffrage movement, which had also made the authors to gain a comprehensive understanding of the pathetic scenario of the society during the past14. Arguments Although, the two books are focused on the theme of women suffrage movement and the pathetic condition of the same that had taken place in the past. However, there are minute differences in the books that stretch on some of the specific points. In the book of Joannou and Purvis, the focus is mainly on the part of women suffrage movement. It also elaborately mentions all the specific pros and the cons of the women suffrage movement and the importance of uplifting the position of women in the society. This scenario of women suffrage movement is largely seen in the book of Joannou and Purvis in comparison to that of the book of Holton. Moreover, the arguments on the liberalization of women in the world are also given more importance in the book of Joannou and Purvis. It stretches on the independence of the women in the society that enables them to take self decision irrespective of any influence from the society and the family members. Further, the book also comparatively highlights more on the social and legal reformation that is the primary need for the betterment of the society and the women throughout the world. However, the book written by Holton focuses upon adult suffrage in parallel to the need of women suffrage. She finds that there are certain group of people, who are deprived of the voting rights and the other social needs. This argument is primarily more focused in the book of Holton in comparison to that of the book of Joannou and Purvis. Moreover, Holton also highlights on the labor movement that had significantly helped the women suffrage movement. The labor movement that had allied with the women suffrage movement, significantly helped the later and hence, supported them to gain the voting right of citizenship15. Thus, from the arguments of both the book it can be stated that women needs to fight for their rights in order to gain equality in the society. Contribution to Scholarship The two books written by Joannou and Purvis and Holton are widely used in the academic studies. Both the books come under various subjects in the academic courses. It is widely accepted as a sociological paper based upon the issues like the social deprivation of the women in participating as a candidate for the purpose of electing a government. The two papers also contain facts about the women condition in the society that deprives them from other social needs and independence and liberalization of taking self decision. The poor condition of the laborers and the deprival of the various social needs are considered in the books. Moreover, the books depict every possible social scenario of the past and hence, it can be regarded as good book for the students of sociology16. The books are also regarded as two of the biggest contributor in the academic field of feminism. The books have sufficed contents related to feminism that makes it important in the academics. The books elaborately describe the poor condition of the women of the world. Moreover, the books prominently suggest the importance of women suffrage and the importance of uplifting the position of the women in the society. Books provide numerous examples and evidences of the women in the past and the women in that period. Thus, the two books can be regarded as the best books in the context of feminism17. Furthermore, the books have also shown the presence of various evidences and facts from the history that had let to the construction of the book. The presence of various historical facts and evidences in relation to women suffrage movement and the poor condition of the women also made the book to be regarded as the most useful for the students of history. Thus, the books can be regarded as two of the biggest contributor to scholarship18. Conclusion The two books namely “The Women’s Suffrage Movement: New Feminist Perspectives" and “Feminism and Democracy: Women’s Suffrage and Reform Politics in Britain” is of significant importance for the purpose of understanding the poor scenario of the women of the world in the past and it is because of the women suffrage movement, the women at present bears the right to vote. The two books have prominently argued on the facts of the women suffrage movement and the relevant aspects that came along with it. The essay also compares the two books as stated above. Although, the two books have been written on a similar context of feminism, democracy and the women suffrage movement, but there are certain significant differences that cannot be denied. Moreover, the two books are widely used as the excellent sources for the academic study. This includes the subject of Sociology, Feminism and History. The authors of the two books namely, Joannou and Purvis for the first, while Holton is for the second. Thus, the books have made the students of the present day to have a comprehensive understanding to the women suffrage movement and the poor condition of the women in the society at that period. Bibliography Crawford, Elizabeth. The Women's Suffrage Movement: A Reference Guide 1866-1928. The UK: Routledge, 2003. Holton, Sandra Stanley. Feminism and Democracy: Women's Suffrage and Reform Politics in Britain, 1900-1918. The UK: Cambridge University Press, 2003. Holton, Sandra Stanley. Suffrage Days: Stories from the Women's Suffrage Movement. The UK: Psychology Press, 1996. Joannou, Maroula , and June Purvis. The Women's Suffrage Movement: New Feminist Perspectives. The UK: Manchester University Press, 1998. Purvis, June, and Sandra Stanley Holton. Votes for Women. The UK: Psychology Press, 2000. Read More