Author Description

When the first edition of A Woman's Place was published, very little had been written on the role of women in Australian politics. Almost a decade later, several books are available, but A Woman's Place remains the most comprehensive and accessible discussion of the topic. The second edition of this ground-breaking work updates and expands the story of the other half of Australian politics. It examines the definitions of politics which have rendered women and women's concerns invisible, and looks at the role played by women in all aspects of the political process. The authors also assess the changes of the past decade, arguing that feminist gains are vulnerable, and not nearly as wide-ranging as they may seem. The authors are political scientists who have been involved with women's politics over many years and have personal knowledge of many of the women and events described. Marian Sawer is a senior lecturer at the University of Canberra and is the author of Sisters in Suits; Marian Simms is a senior lecturer at the Australian National University and is the author of A Liberal Nation.