The Paradox of Paternalism: Women and the Politics of Authoritarianism in the Dominican Republic

Women in the Dominican Republic are often absent or erased from public political narratives, but The Paradox of Paternalism shows how women activists have become indispensable to the country's reputation by working within both authoritarian regimes and inter-American networks.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 336 pages
Publication date: 28 June 2022
Publisher: University Press of Florida

The Dominican Republic's public political narratives have often overlooked or erased the presence of women from the rise of dictator Rafael Trujillo in the early 1930s to the twelve-year rule of his successor, Joaquín Balaguer, in the 1960s and 1970s. However, The Paradox of Paternalism reveals how women in the country defied expectations and emerged as skilled, networked, and non-threatening agents. They played a crucial role in shaping the nation's reputation nationally and internationally, gaining significant political gains such as suffrage. Despite facing periods of authoritarianism and transition, women activists from various political backgrounds worked within both authoritarian regimes and inter-American networks to establish modern Dominican feminism and contribute to the rise of twentieth-century women's liberation movements in the Global South.

Elizabeth Manley, in this volume, delves into the ways in which women activists across the political spectrum engaged with the state in the Dominican Republic. They worked within both authoritarian regimes and inter-American networks, founding modern Dominican feminism, and making significant contributions to the global women's liberation movements of the twentieth century. These women activists challenged traditional gender roles and fought for equal rights and opportunities, advocating for women's empowerment and social change.

The Paradox of Paternalism highlights the resilience and determination of women in the Dominican Republic, who have played a vital role in shaping the country's history and politics despite facing numerous challenges and barriers. Their contributions have not been fully recognized or acknowledged, but this volume seeks to rectify that by shedding light on their important role in the nation's development.

Weight: 538g
Dimension: 154 x 234 x 26 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780813069425