Mixed Media: Feminist Presses and Publishing Politics

'One hopes, though, that someone, somewhere is writing ... on this aspect of feminist literary production since much knowledge and experience will otherwise be lost.' Mary Eagleton 'Records the fantastic ... achievements of women publishers, writers, booksellers, readers and literary academics of the 70s, 80s and 90s.' Dale Spender, The University of Queensland Mixed Media is the first book about the feminist press movement which transformed the publishing industry, literary culture and educational curricula during the last quarter of the 20th century. It is both a survey of the movement internationally and a detailed critique of its long-term impact. Feminist presses are described as 'mixed media', always attempting to balance politics with profit-making. Using a series of detailed case studies, Simone Murray highlights the specific debates through which this dilemma plays out: the nature of independence; the politics of race; feminist publishing and the academy; radical writing and publishing practice; and feminism's interface with mainstream publishing. The book both catches the recent mood of reassessment at feminist publishing's apparent passing, as well as engaging with the fast-growing disciplines of cultural industries, media production and arts management. Mixed Media is an invaluable resource for undergraduates, postgraduates and academic researchers in the fields of publishing studies, cultural/media studies and gender/women's studies.