Working Women : Stories of Strife, Struggle and Survival

Contents: Preface. I. Struggles in the workplace:  1. Experiences of a Black South African woman/Thenjiwe Magwaza. 2. Single motherhood in America: my struggle/Heide Kaminski. 3. Redefining the meaning of work/Millicent Daweti. 4. Moving and mixing : stories of migrant women in New Zealand/Maureen Lewis. II. Exploitation in the workplace: 5. Homeless women and the choices they make/Kay Sexton. 6. Pencilled in at the margins: dealing with bullies at work/Shelda Debowski. 7. Gender equity in a post apartheid South Africa/Shirley Mthehwa Sommers. 8. In search of a title/Lynne Hunt. III. Health and Wellness: 9. Our lives with mother and Alzheimer's illness/Arlene Fester. 10. Openly positive : Living and working with HIV/AIDS/Nokujabula Myeza and Dennis Francis. 11. Children left behind: voices (Ukhuhebeza) of HIV+mothers/Nirmala Gopal and Reshma Sookrajh. IV. Having faith: religious and spiritual journeys: 12. Cultural identities of South African Hindu women/Sheila Chirkut. 13. Spiritual strength in overcoming adversity/Anniekie Ravhudzuho. 14. Finding work in the new Democracy/Arlene Fester. V. Finding spaces: women's empowerment: 15. Living and working in Calcutta: Jane's story/Robyn Andrews. 16. Surviving with a disability in New York City/Diane Saarinen. 17. Gendered spaces: men in women's places/Vivian Besem Ojong. 18. Poverty, empowerment and grass-roots Democracy: defining participatory approaches/Sita Venkateswar. VI. Conclusion: 19. Locating women's struggle in a cultural context/Fay Patel.

"This book contains narratives pertaining to the challenges, struggles and success stories of women in the workplace who come from diverse cultures and social backgrounds. The essays discuss the struggles of women who were marginalised but who fought for recognition, dignity and respect in their workplaces and personal lives. The narratives cross cultural boundaries, presenting multiple dimensions of the struggle and success of women from different walks of life.

Working Women: Stories of Strife, Struggle and Survival brings hope for those who continue to suffer in silence. This multicultural anthology of essays highlights women's perspectives on a wide range of issues : survival in the workplace, spirituality and religion, empowerment and financial independence, and health and wellness. It provides a space for women to present their lived realities within a global context.

Given its racy and lucid narrative style, this book would interest a wide readership including working women from various backgrounds, women's groups and non-governmental organisations. It would also interest those involved in women's studies, gender studies, and the study of organisational culture and communication, sociology and human resource management."