Feminists Under Fire: Exchanges Across the War Zones

Nikki Tate-Stratton writes children’s picture books and novels for
preteens. Her most recent novels are Jo’s Triumph, Raven’s Revenge,
and Tarragon Island. Her latest picture book is Grandparents’ Day.

This collaborative effort by members of the international research group
Women in Conflict Zones Network, looks at a variety of topics relating
to women and war, particularly in the former Yugoslavia and Sri Lanka.
Care was taken to include information relevant to a number of affected
groups (e.g., Sinhalese, Tamil, and Muslim women from each region of Sri
Lanka; Bosnian, Croatian, Kosovar, and Serbian women from the
post-Yugoslav states).

Articles are grouped in three main sections: “Ethnic Nationalism and
the Militarization of Women,” “Gendered Violence in Times of
Conflict,” and “Politics and Cultures of Resistance.” Introductory
essays within each section as well as at the beginning of the book help
to establish a context, framework, and definitions useful when reading
the individual articles.

Discussions focus on the “material, historical and political
realities of women in ethnic-national conflict zones, including state
and class relations.” Reflections on resistance movements, women in
the military, and the potential for (and obstacles to) women’s
involvement in politics at all levels are included alongside analyses of
rape as a war strategy, the effects of conflict and displacement on the
household, and the ethics of armed combat.

As with any collection of essays by a diverse group of writers, there
is a wide range of styles and approaches. Some articles are theoretical
and academic, while others include anecdotes and selections of poetry
reflecting the experiences of women in war zones. A straightforward list
of “Aims, Activities, Vigils, and Political Principles” compiled by
the Women in Black Against War (Belgrade) provides a perspective quite
different to the interview with Kumari Jay-awardena about the women’s
movement and the ethnic conflict in Sri Lanka. The afterword includes an
update regarding Sri Lanka and the post-Yugoslav states as well as a
consideration of educational, organizational, and political strategies
for dealing with violence.

This collection of essays seeks to recognize and better understand both
the relationship between gender, ethnicity, and nationalism, and the
nature of conflict itself (at personal, regional, national, and
international levels). By exploring the differences and commonalities of
women’s circumstances and experiences in conflict zones, this book
provides an excellent starting point for discussion from which a better
understanding of the topic of women and war (in its many guises) may
continue to be developed.