To understand the situation faced by Christian women in post-Soviet societies, the concerns of all women need to be taken into account. In addition to printed sources, readers may tap a wealth of relevant electronic resources. One word of caution: The accessibility of an abundance of information via computer must be tempered with spiritual discernment in order to differentiate that which is edifying from that which is unedifying--and one finds a great deal of both on the Internet.
Bibliographies
Professor Mary Zirin (mary@bigbear.caltech.edu), an independent scholar from southern California, has produced a comprehensive bibliography on Women, Gender and Family in the Soviet Successor States and Central/East Europe. Unfortunately, it currently is out of print, but an updated version is in progress. In the United States it is available on interlibrary loan from Princeton University. In addition, the Amherst College Web site includes a three-page bibliography on women in Russian literature (http://www.amherst.edu/~nehrl/biblio.html).
Web Pages
The Web page for the Center for Civil Society International, Seattle, WA http://solar.rtd.utk.edu/~ccsi/nisorgs/niswomen.htm), provides a great deal of information relating to: 1) NIS Women's Organizations by Country; 2) International Organizations Active in the NIS: Women's Issues; and 3) Electronic Resources: Women. Also, a Melbourne, Australia, webmaster (elleon@c031.aone.net.au) has gathered an impressive array of material at her Russian Feminism Resources Web site (>http://www.geocities.com/Athens/2533/russfem.html) under 1) Organizations, Mailing Lists, Conferences; 2) Women and Russia Links in English; 3) Women and Russia Links in Russian (English index to Russian-language sources); and 4) Women in Other Post-Communist States. Under organizations, for example, one may download helpful summaries of the work of the Convent of Sts. Martha and Mary and St. Dimitry's Sisterhood of Nurses. The Russian Christian Home Page (English index at: http://www.bethel.edu/seminary_academics/international/russian/russian3.htm; Russian index at: http://www.bethel.edu/seminary_academics/international/russian/russian5.htm)
includes a 12-page essay by Sergei Averintsev on Brak i sem'ya [Marriage and the Family]. Finally, Network of East-West Women (http://www.neww.org), with links to Russian, Polish, and U.S. offices and web pages, focuses on advocacy for women through the promotion of "tolerance, democracy, nonviolence, health, and respect for the institution of a civil society." The NEWW quarterly, Best of the Season, began publication in 1997 in English and Russian, on line and in print. An annual hard copy subscription is $15 from 1601 Connecticut Ave. NW, Suite 701, Washington, DC 20009; 202-265-3585; fax: 202-265-3508; e-mail: eastwest@neww.org.
Electronic Serials
Other electronic serials deserve consideration. We/Myi: The Women's Dialogue is a Russian-language bimonthly women's magazine. Issues 13 forward are summarized and partially translated into English on the Web (http://www.neww.org/vim/vimintro.htm). The U.S. sponsor is The National Council for Research on Women, 530 Broadway, New York, NY 10012; 212-274-0730; fax: 212-274-0821. The coeditors are Colette Shulman (tel/fax: 860-354-0333; shermancs@aol.com) and Nadia Azhgikina (anadia@glasnet.ru). Issue 14 carries a thoughtful six-page interview with Bishop Chryzostom of Vilnius and Lithuania on Russian Orthodox views on abortion and contraception.
Gender Monitor (http://solar.rtd.utk.edu/~ccsi/elctrnic/women/gm_1-1.htm) is a quite informative "internet serial that summarizes articles related to women's issues which appear in the Ukrainian press." It is a service of the Ukrainian Center for Independent Political Research. Finally, Women East-West, the newsletter of the Association of Women in Slavic Studies http://ash.swarthmore.edu/slavic/), is a useful source well beyond the academic community.
Mark Elliott is editor of the East-West Church & Ministry Report.
Written permission is required for reprinting or electronic distribution of any portion of the East-West Church & Ministry Report.
© 1998 East-West Church and Ministry Report
ISSN 1069-5664