ABSTRACT
This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book aims to develop a greater understanding of the specific ways in which women are able to exert influence and control over their life situations, to derive a sense of accomplishment and achievement and develop self–esteem. It reviews power as an element of all social relationships and activities. As such, it can be defined as the ability of an individual to influence or exert control over resources, actions, or social relationships which are valued by the community or group in which she/he participates. The book examines the ability of women to exert both positional and personal power with an emphasis on the specific contexts and life situations in which these different types of power operate. It focuses on specific contexts within the wider societal structures in which women are able to exert personal as well as positional power.
