Literary Crossroads: An International Exploration of Women, Gender, and Otherhood [Hardcover]

This book explores the different ways women have been liberating themselves from the shackles of patriarchy and cultural laws that inhibit their independence and freedom to show that women are also contributing meaningfully to society. Women have worked to attain freedom through speaking out, writing memoirs, fiction, plays, poetry, and essays. The creative experiences of women are captured in this book, thus fulfilling the book's aim to give women voices to air their views and show that they are effectual members of society. The book examines the roles played by patriarchy, religion, and socioeconomic and political systems that keep women to the background. It also examines the issue of education, otherhood, marginalization, cultural imposition, and the diverse positions of women in local and international affairs. The book testifies that women's literature, and the stories of women all over the world, can be appreciated and viewed from different perspectives because of the diverse cultural environment in which women find themselves. This confirms that the issue of marginalization, suppression, and oppression of women are on-going problems in different societies around the world.

Blessing Diala-Ogamba is associate professor of English in the Department of Humanities, and coordinator of the World Literature Program at Coppin State University.

Elaine Sykes is assistant professor of English in the Department of Humanities, Coppin State University.

Literary Crossroads is an important addition to the burgeoning body of criticism on African (and African-diaspora) women writers of fiction and film. Paula Barnes, Hampton University

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Foreword.
Nawal El Saadawi
Introduction.
Blessing Diala-Ogamba and Elaine Sykes
Section I. Exploitation, Exclusion, and Quest for Selfhood
Chapter 1. Sexual and Gender Based Violence in African Womens Writings: A Textual Study of Literary Works by Female African Writers
Juliana Daniels