Introduction
This book examines the promise of feminism to empower women and bring social and political equality to both men and women in Zimbabwe. Zimbabwe was once celebrated by feminists and progressives in the West for its liberation ideology, which included principled stands in favor of economic justice and gender equity. While the rest of the world learned later of the dismal failure of Zimbabwe's promise, many women in Zimbabwe felt its betrayal early on. This book asks what happens to women when such promises fail. More specifically, it asks what the promises of feminism are, how a feminist outlook developed within the Zimbabwean context, and how it has led to innovation and conventionality. It considers the varied effects of feminism in Zimbabwean social life, focusing on instances that seemed to promise women a better life and led them to believe in their own potential to influence politics. This introduction explains the book's research methodology and how the author came to Zimbabwe.