“The First Political Order offers the strongest possible proof that male control of reproduction—and the violence necessary to control women’s bodies—is the first step in normalizing violence and hierarchy in every society. From now on, there will be no more separating questions of politics and peace from the treatment of the females.”

~Gloria Steinem

To round out our feature of The First Political Order: How Sex Shapes Governance and National Security Worldwide as part of our celebration of Women’s History Month, we are sharing the introduction. Valerie M. Hudson, Donna Lee Bowen, and Perpetua Lynne Nielsen show that female subordination functions almost as a curse upon nations in this groundbreaking work. Learn how this Syndrome of nations comes about and its wide ranging implications.

If you enjoy this excerpt, make sure to enter our drawing for a chance to win a copy and read the guest blog posts from each author.