After Liberation Women and the Politics of Expectations in Rebel-to-Party Transitions

"When they become ruling civilian parties, why do most winning women-inclusive armed insurgencies become so blatantly patriarchal? Hilary Matfess takes a deep dive into post-war gender dynamics of insurgencies-turned-political parties in Ethiopia, Namibia, El Salvador, and Nepal. With her close scrutiny of party organizations, intriguing first-person interviews, and cross-national comparisons, Matfess makes a genuine contribution to unknotting this crucial puzzle."-Cynthia Enloe, Clark University

"Leftist rebel groups may be willing to incorporate women into their fighting ranks, but do not count of them to free women. Through an in-depth analysis of the Ethiopian civil war, Hilary Matfess unveils a disturbing truth: after liberation, as the rebel victors sought to transform their group into a broad-based electoral coalition, they sacrificed women's rights on the political altar."-Dawn Langan Teele, Johns Hopkins University

"Guerillas driven by revolutionary ideals may win their wars, but they have a mixed record of liberating their societies from patriarchy. Hilary Matfess explores the neglected question of what happens to female combatants when liberation movements transition to political parties in power. This is an extraordinarily thorough study that is destined to become the go-to reference on this topic." -Alex de Waal, Executive Director of the World Peace Foundation