Comparative Analysis of Women's Issues, Toward a Contextualized Methodology

This article argues that in spite of a burgeoning international feminist movement, a methodology for comparing women's rights that takes into consideration cultural difference has not yet been developed. The author proposes a methodology for comparing the legal rights, status and experiences of women from different cultures, using critical race feminism. The article sets out a three-step process for deriving meaningful comparisons and contrasts on how laws affect women. These methods are aimed at widening traditional analytical perspectives, while minimizing ethnocentricity. The author's methodology is then applied to abortion law in Mexico and the United States to illustrate how a contextualized comparative analysis results in a more coherent and comprehensive understanding of women's human rights issues.