AAS 17 Study Guide - Winter 2018, Comprehensive Midterm Notes - Polygyny, Africa, West Africa
12 Oct 2018
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AAS 17
MIDTERM EXAM
STUDY GUIDE
Fall 2018
1/8/18 – WOMEN IN AFRICAN SOCIETIES
Patriarchy
• A pattern of social organization whereby those who exercise authority and have power at most
levels are men.
o There are exceptions to a pattern. No uniform way.
o Not all levels.
o Patriarchy is expressed differently in different parts of the world.
• Most human societies are patriarchal.
o Not to the same degree or the same way.
o If e eercise poer i ost places i the orld, h do’t the occup a siilar
position of authority everywhere? Why are there differences in how patriarchy is
manifested in different parts of the world?
o Why is patriarchy so common if there is no gathering or conference of men saying they
will be in charge?
• Patriarchy allows some women to exercise authority.
o African societies are overwhelmingly patriarchal, yet many women occupy positions of
power.
o If there are oe occupig positios of poer, is it still a patriarch? That’s h the
defiitio sas at ost leels.
What makes patriarchy possible?
• The need or desire for children.
• If both men and women want children, why do women end up falling behind men?
• Time spent bearing, raising children.
o Mother producing nutrients.
o Babies born helpless. Somebody has to care for it, and that someone is the mother. The
father is busy accumulating resources.
• Times spent in domestic work.
o Pattern of providing for baby continues in the domestic sphere.
African Traditions
• Women or wives
o Husbands can have authority over their wives, but not all women. So not have authority
over his sister or mother.
• Conjugal or Consanguinal relationships
o Conjugal – relationships involving marriage
o Consanguinal – blood relatives
o Woe’s poer i cojugal and consanguinal relationships.
o In western societies, conjugal relationships are more important while in most African
societies consanguinal relationships are more important.
o Wives vs sisters or wives vs mothers.
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
• Age and seniority
o In many African societies, age and seniority is at least as important, and in some cases
more, as gender.
o The older always has authority over the younger, regardless of gender.
o Me do’t get to eercise authorit uder all coditios.
• Social and biological distinctions
o All societies have a spectrum of male and female. Every society has a biological
distinction between male and female.
o Biological categories become social categories.
o I a Africa laguages, there are eutral proous, o he or she. Do’t
distinguish gender.
o Make distinctions between male and female, but apply them in different ways.
o Generally speaking, the female is distinguished with fertility.
o Attributes of a biological male could be applied to a biological female.
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
Document Summary
Patriarchy: a pattern of social organization whereby those who exercise authority and have power at most levels are men, there are exceptions to a pattern. No uniform way: not all levels, patriarchy is expressed differently in different parts of the world, most human societies are patriarchal, not to the same degree or the same way. That"s (cid:449)h(cid:455) the defi(cid:374)itio(cid:374) sa(cid:455)s (cid:862)at (cid:373)ost le(cid:448)els. (cid:863) If both men and women want children, why do women end up falling behind men: the need or desire for children, time spent bearing, raising children, mother producing nutrients, babies born helpless. Somebody has to care for it, and that someone is the mother. The father is busy accumulating resources: times spent in domestic work, pattern of providing for baby continues in the domestic sphere. African traditions: women or wives, husbands can have authority over their wives, but not all women.
