Mothers in law : feminist theory and the legal regulation of motherhood /

This collection of essays is drawn from papers presented at two conferences on motherhood, feminism, and legal theory. The range of the essays, however, is broader and more appealing than the provenence or the title might suggest. Topics covered include pictures of mothers in novels and autobiographies, the social construction of "Ideal Mother" and "Ideal Breadwinner," and political discourse about "welfare mothers," as well as specific analysis of laws affecting mothers in the Canadian First Nations, Black pregnant teens, and lesbian mothers. Powerful articles discuss provision of legal representation to mothers charged with child abuse and the tensions between dependence and independence for mothers as workers, caregivers, and care recipients in old age. Although the collection has its weaknesses (e.g., its entire section on regulating mothers focuses on racism and black mothers), its strengths far outweigh them. This excellent contribtuion to women's studies literature on mothering intentionally defines mothering as more than just a burden on women seeking emancipation or a feminine essence that women seek to express; it sees struggle and practical difficulty interwoven with social ideology and legal practices. Strongly recommended. All levels. M. M. Ferree; University of Connecticut