The American Woman 2001-02: Getting to the Top

Now in its eighth incarnation, the biennial American Woman charts the past, present, and future of American women in their pursuit of leadership. This edition looks particularly at the varied trajectories of women in politics, higher education, business, labor unions, and the military, as well as the societal, institutional, and personal factors that still impede their full participation and representation. Prominent women in each field answer such questions as, What has made these women successful? What are the barriers they continue to encounter? What are the differences in experiences between women of color and white women? Do women try to "fit in" in their fields, or do they bring different perspectives and priorities to their leadership styles? And what does the future hold for women in the 21st century?

While the authors point proudly to the many women in prominent leadership positions, the relatively small number of women at the top indicates that there is still a long way to go. In academia, despite the fact that women make up over half the student body, they lag significantly behind men in achieving tenure status, and therefore academic leadership positions. In the corporate world, women are still hindered by stereotyping and exclusion from the informal networking men participate in. And in the military, where American readiness literally depends on recruiting and sustaining women, leadership positions for women are conspicuously absent. Nevertheless, the authors paint a picture of dynamic and creative women with a bright future ahead. Lois Gray proclaims women as the necessary ingredient for a labor movement in desperate need of revitalization. Ruth Mandel reminds us that children born in the year 2000 will grow up in a world where female leadership is normal; it is they who will help women achieve the now-distant goal of an inclusive nation where women have full representation and shared leadership up to the highest levels of power. Chock-full of charts and statistics on the status of women's education, health, employment, and income, and with biographies of the women in the 106th Congress, The American Woman, 2001-2002 creates an invaluable portrait of just where women stand. --Lesley Reed