Women Warriors in Southeast Asia

2017 | Gender Studies

Based on multidisciplinary perspectives, this book brings together a wide range of case studies covering women as agents of violence in periods of armed conflict in Southeast Asia. It discusses why these women were active in a domain traditionally preserved for men, and how it arguably transgressed peacetime gender boundaries. Using a number of different sources, including epigraphs, royal chronicles, diaries, memoirs and interviews, the book looks at Southeast Asian woman in both ancient and modern times, and in a variety of roles, such as palace guards, guerrillas and war leaders. It questions what drove women to take on these roles, as well as to what extent were their experiences different to those of men. The book then goes on to examine how the women re-integrated into post-conflict societies. Written by an international team of scholars, the book will be of interest to scholars working on Southeast Asian Studies, Gender Studies and War and Conflict Studies.

Tobias Rettig (Author)

Vina A. Lanzona (Author)