Happy Hello Dear Readers!

I am delighted to announce that my _Female Suicide Bomber_ manuscript is submitted to McFarland. They are very excited about this book and are advertising it in their Spring 2006 catalogue. This means a quick turn around for publishing. So, my immediate task is to prepare a draft index, so that when the proof pages arrive, I can do my part in assuring that quick publication date.

I was pleased to receive an email from Fran Hosken who is one of pioneers in the research of FGM. A couple of sentences from her email read:

“It is the most thorough documentation of FGM I have seen - Congratulations! ... I admire the enormous amount of research you gathered and presented.”

Other than doing my draft index of my _Female Suicide Bomber_ book, I will be doing some promotional work for _Female Genital Mutilation_. You can help by suggesting to your nearby library that they purchase the book for their shelves. Complete information can be found on McFarland’s web site located at: http://www.mcfarlandpub.com/book-2.php?isbn=0-7864-2167-3. The advantage of printing it from the web is that you have a picture to show the librarian along with the pertinent information.

Or you can print this Newsletter and take it to your local library. The information is:
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Female Genital Mutilation: Legal, Cultural and Medical Issues
by Rosemarie Skaine
ISBN 0-7864-2167-3
illustrations, maps, tables, glossary, appendices, notes, bibliography, index
331pp. softcover 2005
$39.95

Description
Female genital mutilation (FGM) occurs in many parts of the world, especially in Africa. It is a cultural practice thought to have been established centuries ago, though its origins appear to have been lost in the past. International efforts to eliminate it also have a long history. As early as the 17th century, Christian missionaries and colonial administrations in Africa attempted to prevent the practice. Today, efforts to eradicate FGM are under way within and outside of practicing cultures. This book discusses the definition and types of FGM and explores the common justifications for the practice, along with the incidence in Africa and other continents, global laws, legal issues, rights and religion. Ethical considerations are examined, as are progress and the role of culture. Personal interviews help to expand and enrich the discussion. The book concludes with thoughts on the movement from tradition to cultural evolution.

About the Author
Rosemarie Skaine, a sociologist in Cedar Falls, Iowa, has also written The Cuban Family (2004), Paternity and American Law (2003), The Women of Afghanistan Under the Taliban (2002), Women College Basketball Coaches (2001), Women at War (1999) and Power and Gender (1996).

Rosemarie Skaine, a sociologist in Cedar Falls, Iowa, has also written The Cuban Family (2004), Paternity and American Law (2003), The Women of Afghanistan Under the Taliban (2002), Women College Basketball Coaches (2001), Women at War (1999) and Power and Gender (1996).

Table of Contents
Acknowledgments v
Preface 1

1. A Traditional Practice 7
2. Prevalence (with James C. Skaine) 35
3. Globalism and Law 57
4. Legal and Practical Issues in the West 80
5. Tradition and Change in Practicing Cultures 94
6. Challenging the Change and the Challenge of Change 125
7. The Maasai and Female Circumcision 151
8. Meeting the Challenge in Tanzania 171
9. The Changing Status 198
10. A Compendium of Change 215

Epilogue 223
Abbreviations and Glossary 225
Appendix 1: Overview of the Practice in Traditional Countries 229
Appendix 2: Law and Outreach 237
Appendix 3: Overview of the Practice in Industrialized Countries 247
Notes 253
Bibliography 281
Index 299
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It’s nice to have a break from writing; no more living out of the clean clothes basket; less running out to Arby’s for a turkey sandwich and more enjoying the flowers.

Cheers!

R