本書作者為英國重要的女性主義藝術史評論家。本書旨在討論藝術再現的語言與資本主義父權社會意識形態，以及性差異結構之間細緻而繁複的糾葛關係。作者藉綿密的觀察，辨證藝術家如何透過視覺的編寫秩序，評論者如何對陽剛及陰柔的刻板書寫，一步步強化藝術產業中性差異的宰制力量，並且排擠女性。作者提出，唯有以女性主義干預藝術/歷史的行動，才能改變單一的藝術歷史敘述。而本書則提供了理論與方法，讓我們看到女性主義所創造出的詮釋差異。

本书内容包括拉丁美洲美术、英国美术和女性主义美术研究三部分，这是作者从事美术史研究以来的几大主要研究焦点。拉丁美洲部分包括古代印第安人美术和现代拉丁洲美术；英国美术部分包括古代英国美术和现代英国美术；女性主义美术史及理论是作者近年来的研究热点。其中既包括理论的研究，也包括对当代中国的一些女艺术家的研究。这些联通东西的论述既带来西方研究成果，又使得中国的美术研究位于世界的整体观念中。

中国女性主义是犀利的，但并不咄咄逼人。它探讨女性问题，关怀两性的和谐发展，并最终关注“人”这一永恒命题。本书以历史与当下、译介与本土化、理论和行动的结合契入点，学理与时尚兼具，为我们展示出微笑着的中国女性主义。

This is an historical account of feminism, looking at the roots of feminism, voting rights, the liberation of the sixties, and analysing the current situation of women, across Europe and the United States, and elsewhere in the world (in particular in Third World countries). Walters examines the difficulties and inequities that women still face, more than forty years after the 'new wave' of 1960s feminism -- difficulties, particularly, in combining domesticity, motherhood and work outside the house. How much have women's lives really changed? In the West women still come up against the 'glass ceiling' at work, most earning considerably less than their male counterparts. What are we to make of the now commonplace insistence that feminism deprives men of their rights and dignities? And how does one tackle the issue of female emancipation in different cultural and economic environments - in, for example, Islam, Hinduism, the Middle East, Africa, and the Indian sub-continent?