Women in Zones of Conflict

Tami Amanda Jacoby investigates the constraints and opportunities for women's civic engagements in zones of conflict through a case study of three women's political movements in Israel: Women in Green, The Jerusalem Link, and the lobby for women's right to fight in the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF). Filling a void in feminist studies of women and war, Women in Zones of Conflict challenges the traditional view, which suggests a natural connection between women and pacifism, based on the feminine qualities of caring, cooperation, and empathy. Feminist studies of nationalism also envision women as either victimized by patriarchy within nationalist movements or as adopting masculine qualities to conform to the culture of their male compatriots. Jacoby takes an alternative approach, considering how women are situated across the political spectrum. She argues that when categories other than gender - such as class, ethnicity, religion, and political perspective - are considered, there is no single perspective on what it means to be a woman in conflict.