The changing roles and status of women in Asia are examined cross-culturally in this book, in an interdisciplinary perspective. Combining a geographical and a topical organization, the volume gives a cross section of developments among Asian women: in aspirations, in economic and political involvement, and in family and community activity. Based on field research, the contributions to this volume bring together the perspectives of political science, anthropology, sociology, and economics. The varied cultural and ideological contexts of Asian countries--including Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism, Catholic Christianity, and the thought of Mao Tse-tung are considered comparatively. Among the nations discussed are mainland China, Japan, the Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia, India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh. Methodological challenges and opportunities are addressed: for instance, distinguishing between real and merely apparent change, avoiding fixation on female "stars" whose upper-class cosmopolitanism is quite atypical, and reading between the lines of official handouts. Each chapter of the book suggests topics for further research and sources for further reading. The necessity of women's full participation in national development has been recognized in UN-sponsored conferences in Bangkok (1957), Manila (1966), and Mexico City (1975). A growing number of college and university courses deal with the information and issues presented in this book.