If Women Counted: A New Feminist Economics

This book is one that I would consider core curriculum for feminists and enviromentalists. It is an economics book about the exclusion of women's work from the GDP and of natural resources from the balance of any country's assets and how this detrimentally affects world economics. It is extensive, well researched, important, thorough, and perceptive. A must read.

I see many pleas among the reviews of this book for a reprint. This book was originally published in New Zealand under the title "Counting for Nothing: What Men Value and What Women Are Worth". When the book was published in North America this title was deemed too controversial and was changed to "If Women Counted". Time has passed, but the book is still available under its original title. I heard Marilyn Waring speak last night. She's an amazing woman and is doing incredible work researching and promoting the New Feminist Economics.

For those of you who are interested, Marilyn Waring's thoughts on politics, environment etc. are available on video. I have a series on three video cassettes, available from the Canadian National Film Board. The NFB can be found on the internet, if you want to know more... Perhaps it is available in the States. It is a good introductory series for schools, businesses...The video series consist of selected excerpts from the book. I am not sure how it compares to the book, but her wit, humor, eloquence are amply evident on film.

I was dismayed to see this book is out of print. I have colleagues acting as consultants in the development cooperation business to whom I wished to give a copy!!! This is a seminal book moving toward changing the way we count and value things in Western economies.

Marilyn Waring is a former member of parliament in NewZealand. She has an international point of view and a horror of the current pattern of resource management. The book is an important link between feminist and environmental thinking/ theorizing. It should be reprinted.