Indigenous Women's Resilience, Leadership and Social Change

This book provides an in-depth exploration of women's resilience, leadership and empowerment through Indigenous knowledge and their crucial roles in various socio-cultural contexts across the world. It challenges the conventional narrative, highlighting the strength and resilience of Indigenous women in their communities that are historically marginalized. By interconnecting knowledge, tradition and justice, the volume addresses the contribution of Indigenous women in fostering the social change which has been often unnoticed. It provides a fresh insight on key topics such as Indigenous knowledge, Indigenous resilience, women roles (in traditional and patriarchal societies), women empowerment, community-based women's organization, social capital and community support. It also discusses the challenges of Indigenous women in patriarchal and market-driven societies. Recognizing the scarcity of literature, particularly on resilience of Indigenous women and leadership in promoting social change, this book sets out to expand the existing framework of leadership and social change. Through this nuanced analysis, this book recognizes the invisible contributions of Indigenous women in advancing their communities and broader societies.

Nuzha Allassad Alhuzail is a Professor (Social Work) at the Sapir Academic College, Israel, and teaches introductory courses in social work as well as a research seminar investigating indigenous issues, a course in indigenous social work, and an introductory meeting course with Arab society. Professor Alhuzail was Research Fellow at Leiden University, Netherlands, University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland FHNW and Dodama University in Tanzania. She is the author of the book: “When the Shadow Is Big It Means the sun is setting: The Lives of Three Generations of Bedouin Women” (In Hebrew). Professor Alhuzail research deals with the implications of social change for the lives of three generations of Bedouin women, deafness in Bedouin society, poverty, youth at risk, Indigenous social work and social work in conflict areas, and women in traditional and religious societies.
Koustab Majumdar works as an Assistant Professor (Rural Development) at the Division of Rural and Tribal Development in Ramakrishna Mission Vivekananda Educational and Research Institute (Deemed to be University, Ranchi campus, India). Dr. Majumdar is also associated with Harriet Tubman Institute (HTI), York University, Canada, as an Associate Fellow. He was a Post-Doctoral (Visiting) Fellow at the International Center for Cultural Studies (ICSS), National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University (NYCU), Taiwan. His recent book is Indigenization Discourse in Social Work: International Perspectives, Springer. Majumdar's research interests include rural transformation, social work education, international social work, comparative social policy and social welfare, social problems and ecopolitics.