How do women talk about peace and violence? What moves 'ordinary' women into extraordinary activism? This book profiles ten influential women activists, relating their experiences and rhetorically analyzing their public communication in and about their efforts for peace. Authors also employ feminist theory to gauge the effectiveness of each activist, from Americans Ida B. Wells and Jane Addams to those still speaking for peace, such as Liberia's Ruth Perry and the former Burma's Aung San Suu Kyi.

Contributions by: Margaret Cavin, Victoria Christie, Sheryl Dowlin, Kathleen Kennedy, Edith LeFebvre, Miriam McMullen-Pastrick, Cathy Sargent Mester, Rod Troester, Lori Wisdom-Whitley