This collection of 15 essays originated in a 1999 conference held at the University of Costa Rica to celebrate the 50th anniversary of women’s suffrage in that country. Four chapters on the struggles of female academics to establish themselves, as well as the discipline of gender studies, in Costa Rica’s universities form the second part of the book. The longer first part consists of six essays on feminist struggles in Costa Rica during the twentieth century and five on other topics. These include Asunción Lavrin’s survey of suffragist arguments across Latin America, historical case studies of Cuba, Nicaragua, and Panama, and an essay on Chicana history. The theme of women’s suffrage ties together most, but not all, of the essays—most of which rely on extensive primary documentation.
The section on gender and higher education in Costa Rica celebrates the gains made by female students and academics since the 1970s, but...
