A Tradition That Has No Name: Nuturing the Development of People, Families, and Communities

Rating:
Summary: An inspiring study of human development through mutual care.
Review: I would like to recommend A TRADITION THAT HAS NO NAME to Amazon readers. The first author, Mary Belenky, is probably best-known for her co-authorship of WOMEN'S WAYS OF KNOWING, which described a model of women's development of "self, voice, and mind." TRADITION explores how presumably powerless, "voiceless" women have learned to speak out in ways that have changed their own lives and their children's lives, and have had lasting impact on their communities.

This is really three books in one. The first explores the Listening Partners project. It demonstrated that poor, isolated, and marginalized women could nevertheless support each other in significant growth and change, when brought together in community. The second examines several women-created community-based organizations that have not only improved the lives of participants, but by drawing on the ideas, talents, and persistence of their members have also contributed to social change.

The third explores how women who were either frankly excluded or subtly ignored by their local power structures supported one another to become leaders in the struggle for change. Though some of these groups had one or a few visionary women acting as the original catalysts, they are noteworthy for *not* creating hierarchical power relations. Governance, to the extent that it exists, is shared; all are welcome, all are valued, all contribute in whatever ways they can. This collaborative, affirming process enables women to think in new ways about the challenges they face.

Quoting liberally and effectively from the experiences of scores of diverse women, this book documents how individuals and communities can develop and change when women gather and share their ideas and talents--talents which many do not realize they have, until they are valued by the collective.

Anyone interested in women's issues, alternative leadership styles, or human development, or who wants to empower others, or who holds a vision of a society in which ! all have voice will want to read this elegant, stirring book.