Violent conflict, climate change, and poverty present distinct threats to women worldwide. Importantly, women are leading the way creating and sharing sustainable solutions.

Women’s security is a valuable analytical tool as well as a political agenda insofar as it addresses the specific problems affecting women’s ability to live dignified, free, and secure lives. First, this collection focuses on how conflict impacts women’s lives and well-being, including rape and gendered constructions of ethnicity, race, and religion. The book’s second section looks beyond the scope of large-scale violence to examine human security in terms of environmental policy, food, water, health, and economics.

Multidisciplinary in scope, these essays from new and established contributors draw from gender studies, international relations, criminology, political science, economics, sociology, biological and ecological sciences, and planning.

Richard A. Matthew is associate dean of research and international programs and professor of urban planning and public policy in the School of Social Ecology at the University of California, Irvine.

The late Patricia A. Weitsman was professor of political science and director of war and peace studies at Ohio University.

Gunhild Hoogensen Gjørv is professor of peace and conflict studies at the Centre for Peace Studies, UiT The Arctic University of Norway.

Nora Davis is a researcher at the University of California, Irvine, School of Social Ecology.

Tera Dornfeld received her PhD from the University of California, Irvine, School of Social Ecology and works on environmental advocacy and policy.