Storming the Tower: Women in the Academic World.

This book contains a collection of papers dealing with various aspects of the careers of women in academic life from an international, comparative perspective. Information detailing the status of academic women in nine countries is included along with analyses of these women's experiences in socio-historical context. The papers are grouped in four sections. The first section contains an introductory essay, "In the Same Boat? Academic Women around the World," written by the editors. The essays in the second session attempt to define the problem; they include: "Women in UK Universities: The Road to Casualization?" by Adrienne Aziz; "Women: The Academic Proletariat in West Germany and The Netherlands," by Anne C. Hawkins and Dagmar Schultz; "Women Connecting with Women: Networks and Mentors in the United States," by Virginia E. O'Leary and Judith M. Mitchell; and "Would More Women Make a Difference? Academic Women in Israel," by Nina Toren. The third section, on barriers to productivity, contains "Life Cycle, Career Patterns and Gender Stratification in Academe: Breaking Myths and Exposing Truths," by Diane E. Davis and Helen S. Astin; "The Juggling Act: Work and Family in Norway," by Suzanne S. Lie; and "Role Priorities and Career Patterns: A Cross-Cultural Study of Turkish and Jordanian University Teachers," by Feride Acar. The fourth section presents four papers that look closely a particular groups: "African-American Women in Academia: Paradoxes and Barriers," by Pamela T. Reid; "Beyond the Boundaries: Lesbians in Academe," by Celia Kitzinger; "In Two Worlds: Women Academics in India," by Veena Gill; and "Women Professors in the USA: Where Are They?" by Jennie Farley. The final section contains three papers that suggest solutions and alternatives: "To Make of Our lives a Study: Feminist Education as Empowerment for Women," by Evelyn T. Beck; "A Feminist University in Norway," by Berit As; and "Strategies for Change," by Virginia E. O'Leary and Suzanne S. Lie. The book includes an index. Each of the papers includes extensive references. (JB)