Gender differences : their impact on public policy /

Kendrigan's previous book, Political Equality in a Democratic Society (CH, Sep'84) urges policy analysts to assess gender inequality by measuring outcomes. This idea holds that a system is gender fair if the results, not the opportunities, are equitable. These essays by professors of social work, and sociology, political scientists, and policy analysts in private practice, plus an introduction and conclusion by Kendrigan, continue her argument for "equality of results." The chapters concern compensation for crime victims, (women are undercompensated), various forms of job loss (women are disadvantaged because of family responsibilities), job training programs, taxation, tourism policy (women are trivialized), veterans' benefits, and the role of care-taker(women are expected to be care-takers). Invidious sexism permeates these policies and institutions in a way that renders ineffective the good intentions of individuals to avoid institutional sexism and racism. Essays both display hidden forces that promote gender inequality and suggest ways to remedy the situation. Endnotes, abstracts, select bibliography, integrated subject/author index, and identifying information for each contributor. Upper-division undergraduates and above. -S. Reinharz, Brandeis University