This reader, designed for undergraduates and development practitioners, presents a selection of literature that has accompanied the recognition given to the critical roles played by Third World women. Included in the book is an introduction to the field, coverage of industrialization, multi-national companies, free trade zones, the informal sector, the feminization of labour, the household as a unit of analysis, sexuality, single-parent families, agricultural production, and the environment. The literature included depicts the social transformation of women via Structural Adjustment Policies and intrusive state policies into women's health, reproductive rights and sexuality, and presents fundamental questions around women and ideology, using case studies to illustrate debates. Also provided is a guide for further reading after each chapter.

This collection analyzes women’s narratives on the workplace. These narratives speak to the daily struggles women face in the workforce, such as inflexible and long work hours, masculine workplace cultures, employers’ stereotypical attitudes, and the absence of work-life balance initiatives. Viewed from a sociological perspective, the authors emphasize the reoccurring themes of devaluation, exploitation, and dehumanization of female workers resulting from unconscious or implicit bias and which directly impacts women’s quality of life.