Women and American Foreign Policy

In recent years, despite widespread interest in feminism, women's studies, and socio-historical perspectives in general, scholars have failed to unearth a body of historical knowledge related to women in the area of American foreign policymaking--until now. This unique volume brings to light the experiences of eight courageous women, who over a century and a half, had a concrete influence in this area. From Abolitionist critic Lydia Maria Child, to former United States Ambassador to the United Nations Jeane Kirkpatrick, a number of American women have attempted to shape and define the nation's foreign policy, admittedly with varying, often limited degrees of success. In doing so, however, they expanded women's role in the public eye, helped shape public consciousness about the nation's diplomacy, and frequently offered alternative policies that ultimately infiltrated the inner sanctum of the foreign policy establishment.