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Feminist Presses and Publishing Politics

by Simone Murray

The first book-length study of the feminist press movement.
The feminist press movement transformed the publishing industry, literary culture and educational curricula during the last quarter of the 20th century. This book 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.

Simone Murray is lecturer in the School of English, Communications and Performance Studies at Monash University. She is author of numerous articles about publishing culture, women's historical role in the book industries, and the place of the book in the digital content economy. She has worked in publishing both in Australia and the UK.

'Simone Murray has made a significant contribution to history; with such an insightful account of feminist success in ending the male dominance of the written word, the visibility of women in the world of print has been assured' - Dale Spender
Acknowledgements
Introduction
1. Books With Bite: Virago Press and the Politics of Feminist Conversion
2. Books of Integrity: Dilemmas of Race and Authenticity in Feminist Publishing
3. Opening Pandora’s Box: The Rise of Academic Feminist Publishing
4. Collective Unconscious: The Demise of Radical Feminist Publishing
5. This Book Could Change Your Life: Feminist Bestsellers and the Power of Mainstream Publishing
Afterword: Feminist Publishing Beyond the Millennium:
Inscribing Women’s Print Heritage in a Digital Future
Notes
Bibliography
Index
Published by Pluto Press in Feb 2004
Paperback ISBN: 9780745320151

135mm x 215mm