Nuova DWF. Donna Woman Femme
Quaderni di studi internazionali sulla donna
Roma, Coines Edizioni, then Editrice coop. UTOPIA, 1976-1985

Woman and the Institutions, 1977, n. 4

An invitation, pp. 3-4

Drawing a balance after the first year of "nuovadwf", and announcing the opening of the Biblioteca and Centro Studi "DonnaWomanFemme".

Debate [The women's movement and political institutions], pp. 5-45

Mariella Gramaglia and Manuela Fraire, from the feminist movement, Margherita Repetto from the Union of Italian Women (UDI) and Giglia Tedesco, communist member of the Chamber of Deputies, were invited by New Donna Woman Femme to discuss "The Women's Movement and Political Institutions". The failure - last June - of the abortion bill to become law was the starting point for an examination of the characteristics of the feminist movement in the light of its history, of its internal contradictions, and of its relations with the various parties of the Italian left. The sharpest differences came to light in discussing the distinction between woman's emancipation and her liberation. The continuing need, at this stage, for autonomy for the women's movement was emphasised while not overlooking the practical difficulties. Indeed unification of the several women's groupings - especially the feminist movement as such and the Union of Italian Women (UDI), which has close links with the political parties and the trade union movement - requires a political strategy based on clearly defined priority objectives. Unity in diversity offers the only hope of overcoming the crisis of political identity presently widespread among women's group.

PAOLINI Renata, The Equality in Employment Bill: a critical comment, pp. 46-80

The Bill, approved by the Senate last June 30th, and aimed at the removal of discrimination against women in employment, was one of the most significant attempts to date at legislation on behalf of women in Italy. But an examination of the extent of discrimination not only confirms the need for much more decisive steps in the social and economic sphere; it also exposes the unacceptable vagueness and the operational weaknesses of this bill, now approved. These technical and political shortcomings make it very doubtful whether the bill can be effective or useful in realising women's aspirations towards equality in employment. Vigorous political initiatives are needed to force Parliament to re-examine the bill and bring about substantial improvements before it become law.

ULIVIERI Simonetta, Italian Women in Education, from Unity to the present day: laws, struggles and perspective, (Part 3), pp. 81-105

In part three of her analysis of women in the teaching profession the author looks at the post-war years up to our days. Though the Republic laid down, in theory, the principle of equality for the sexes, there was still flagrant discriminations in the sphere of work, and though a series of laws bettered the lot of women teachers, we still today have remnants of the fascist past. The article ends with an outline of the latest government proposals which have as their aim to put an end to all discrimination against women in the teaching profession.

MICELA Rosaria, The Concept of Women's Oppression. A re-reading of Levi-Strauss' Theories on the incest taboo and the Exchange of Women, pp. 106-120

The author uncovers a continuing ambiguity underlying anthropology's interpretation of women in different cultures. Woman has always been identified closely with nature, set at the margin of culture. Certain anthropological theories have greatly contributed to the development of an ideology which is based on supposed male and female values. The author proposes a critical revision of cultural anthropology as it treats of women. She is particularly strongly opposed to the idealistic interpretations of Levi-Strauss. For him "social structures" are not identical with the actual social organisation, but are related to that unconscious and unchanging "schema" which underlies all social systems and from which all social and cultural diversities are but variations. For a marxist criticism of Levi-Strauss, the material roots of such social phenomena as the prohibition of incest or the exchange of women must be identified and a materialist explanation offered. Kinship patterns, viewed in this light, are dependent on the general patterns of production, and the original contradiction between the sexes - springing from the woman's power of reproduction - is the key to the division of labour. Hence the need for men to exert a social control over procreation, which is the basic of all masculine power. This leads us to challenge universalistic and meta-historical concepts of the oppression of women which take no account of concrete historical and socio-economic facts. A materialist methodology is equally necessary in the study of symbols. Levi-Strauss' likening of woman to nature, seen in this light, is revealed as a mystification which helps to reinforme the hegemony of men over women.

BREDI Daniela, The traditional role and the political function of Women in rural society in Pakistan. Case history of a village in Kanyal (Punjab), pp. 121-131

Intent on examining the process of political involvement of women in rural Pakistan, the author was obliged by her Pakistani hosts to conform to the behaviour patterns of village women. This completely upset her plans but at the same time afforded her a unique opportunity. She became a participant in, as well as on observer of, the oppression of rural women in Pakistan. Her approach is empirical and she is very aware of the risks of Eurocentric bias. Rural Pakistan is very different from urban Pakistan. That the ancestral customs of the region persist - especially in everyday life - alongside muslin principles, is abundantly clear from the documentation of the behaviour of the women which the article details.