Why have women remained marginalized in Chilean politics, even within a context of democratization? Addressing this question, Susan Franceschet traces women"s political activism in the country - from the early twentieth century struggles for suffrage to current efforts to expand and deepen the practice of democracy. Franceschet highlights the gendered nature of political participation in Chile, as well as changing perceptions of what is and is not political. Even as women enter electoral and bureaucratic politics in greater numbers, she argues, they are divided by ideology, competing interests, and unequal access to power. Clarifying the themes and challenges of the Chilean women"s movement today, she finds an inextricable link between women"s struggles for citizenship rights and the nation"s broader struggles for democracy and social justice.