WOMEN AS VICTIMS AND AS RESISTERS - DEPICTIONS OF THE OPPRESSION OF WOMEN IN CRIMINOLOGY TEXTBOOKS

This paper examines the extent to which the modern feminist image of gender oppression-which recognizes both the subordination of women and the struggles of women to overcome this subordination-has affected the depiction of women in criminology textbooks. Specifically I analyze whether criminology textbook authors, in their discussions of gender issues, depict women as the passive ''victims'' of male dominance and patriarchy or as active ''resisters'' who struggle against the conditions of their oppression. Victim and resister images of gender oppression an examined in 54 introductory criminology textbooks published from 1956 to 1965 and 1983 to 1992. My data show that although recent criminology textbooks have made important strides toward discussing women as the victims of oppression, they say far less about women's ability to resist this oppression through their words and deeds.