History of Modern America - Book Report/Review Example

?Insert Introduction The book, The World Split Open: How the Modern Women’s Movement Changed America is one of Ruth Rosen’s works. A feminist herself, Rosen in the book takes to review the women’s rights and freedoms movement in America, particularly starting from the 1950s. Rosen does this mainly by discussing and dissecting the manner in which institutional and structural establishments were fashioned to resonate well with patriarchal ideals, at the expense of women’s rights and freedoms, as shall be seen in the ensuing discussion. Major themes of the book The main theme in Rosen’s book is that discriminatory practices were very common against women in the pre-1960s America, and that although these discriminatory practices were deeply etched in the conscience of the patriarchal society, yet the practices were propounded by institutional and structural establishments. This is to the effect that although female empowerment was not overtly displayed by men in the male-dominated society, yet institutional and structural establishments would serve as a serious impediment to the realization of an egalitarian society or the empowerment of women (Rosen, 75). To begin with, Rosen points at the media as a conduit through which the feminist movement was framed, leading to mistrust and an unhelpful reaction from the American society. Rosen discusses the extent to which newspaper advertisements designated jobs according to sex. Furthermore, Rosen blames the media for having stereotyped feminists as victims and not as reformers, and also applied divisive measures against feminism, by portraying feminism as a movement which was more centered on the white and middle class America. It is on this premise that the media invented the myth of women burning bras in order to sell newspapers. Later on, feminists were portrayed as superwomen who wanted to do all things by themselves, perfectly; and much later on, as the cause of the rising cases of moral rot, consumer culture, family disintegration and materialism. To Rosen, these were manifestations of the evils that accompany a male-dominated media. Rosen also points out at economic practices which furthered sexual discrimination. For instance, many bars declined serving women, purely on the basis of their sex. Even in the justice department, some states refused to absorb women into jury duties. The situation is not made any better by the fact that in the pre-1960 America, women seldom served as heads of large corporations and universities. The number of women who worked as police officers and fire fighters was very negligible. In the educational sector, there were libraries (such as the Harvard’s Lamont Library) and other institutions of learning which were totally off-limits to women, on a flimsy account that female students would bring distraction upon male students, and thereby hampering male students’ academic progress. Again, there was also unfairness in political participation being meted out against women. Particularly, towards the end of the New Left, white women who participated in the Civil Rights movement got sidelined by their male companions in the Students for a Democratic Society and Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee. In these two caucuses, women had been relegated to managing mimeographs. It is against this backdrop that these women made their manifesto in 1965 and mailed it to 40 women who were active in the Civil Rights, peace and students’ movement (Rosen, 60-62). Another theme which Rosen seeks to advance is the idea that in the 1970s, the world was split open. By the world being split open, Rosen intends to mean that the society saw the need to become all-inclusive so that women can equally participate in nation-building. This called for the need to split open, the barriers that precluded ideals such as women empowerment, with these barriers being ideological, institutional and structural. Institutional changes are evinced in the judiciary acknowledging women as having the right to exercise self-determination on matters that touch on their lives and health. Specifically, as the 1970s came to a conclusion, the US courts had created space for legal abortions. The same situation is exemplified in the US learning and educational sectors where by the end of the 1970s, women began to outnumber men in the universities and colleges. In respect of the immediately foregoing, Rosen makes reference to Ms. Magazine, wherein there is a caption in which Jill Wood (a woman) pulls up to a four-way stop in her taxi. At one of the signs was a female police officer in a land cruiser, while at the third, there was another female telephone installer in a van. This no doubt serves as a testament to the stark contrast between the pre-1960 America and the post-1960 America, given that unlike the former wherein women were suppressed and relegated to the domestic spheres, in the post-1960 America, women had risen up to take on public, private and corporate jobs. Another theme that Rosen tries to put across is the need for women not to take their rights for granted. In what seems like a stern warning, Rosen argues that the rights and freedom that women currently enjoy have come about as a culmination of concerted effort by feminists and civil rights activists, and are also, only the beginning of the clamor for human rights. In this postulation is Rosen’s unmistakable clarion to women not to mistakenly think that their rights will not be interfered with and that the unconquered areas will voluntarily bring themselves under the yoke of equality and gender parity. Evidence the author adduces in support of her arguments In order to lend her work credence, Rosen makes reference to magazines, popular books, television contents, newspaper articles and liberation stories of both popular and unpopular feminists, women and thinkers. One of the books Rosen referred to is Ms. Magazine, to show how far the rights and freedom of women have come to be respected at the corporate, private and public levels of power. How the book contributes to the understanding of the largest themes of the US history The reason behind the book’s composition is twofold. First, the book gives an account of the manner in which feminist movement sprung forth, leading to a gradual realization and acknowledgement of the rights and freedoms of women. To this effect, a critical reader will be able to know the essence and relevance of pertinent matters such as feminism, black feminism, Chicano feminism, postfeminism, first and second wave feminism, female empowerment and progress, marital rape, the equal rights amendments, faked orgasm, sexual harassment, pornography, the superwoman and Bob Packwood, among other items. The reader, if critical enough, will also be able to appreciate how these items relate to feminism. Secondly, the book also issues a covert and implicit warning on the danger of taking women’s rights and freedoms for granted, by not taking the quest for women’s rights as a progressive phenomenon. The gap in historical literature that the author seeks to fill is the period between 1960 and 2000. This is because, the pre-1960 America is well known for being devoid of women’s rights, yet the post-1960 America has women’s rights being recognized almost to a full-fledged extent. It is for this reason that Rosen recounts the developments that materialized so that women’s rights came to be acknowledged and thereby leading to the glaring disparity between the pre-1960 America and the present day America. The Book’s Strengths and Weaknesses One of the strengths that the book enjoys is the aspect of ethos it draws from Ruth Rosen. Rosen is one of the most renowned feminists in the US and the world over. She is also a pioneer in women’s history. Given that her feminist agenda has spanned over activism to include other activities such as prolific authorship, Rosen commands a lot of respect. Because of this, the book enjoys an overwhelming degree of credence, on the account of its author, Ruth Rosen. This book also remains compelling on the account that it explores the feminist movement which took place in the 20th century. This helps readers understand the developments and key events which shaped the second wave of feminist. This quality gives the book a striking aspect of uniqueness, given that most books on feminism concentrate on the first wave of feminism. Perhaps it is this aspect of dwelling on the second wave feminism that serves as the book’s point of weakness, since this means, the negation of the first wave feminist movement. The book is also worthy of credence, given the degree of historical lucidity it displays throughout its discourse. This book particularly shows how the acknowledgement of women’s rights has progressed, from a point wherein such rights were nonexistent 50 years ago, up to where the world is currently. Rosen for instance shows how the right of women to vote was ratified in the 20th century helped women to continue to clamor for their place in the economic, social and political life of the United States, even if that right to vote very inadequately addressed the needs, civil and human rights of women. Works Cited Rosen, Ruth. The World Split Open: How the Modern Women’s Movement Changed America. New York: Penguin Books, 2000. Print Read More