―Yorubas Don‖ t Do Gender‖: A Critical Review of Oyeronke Oyewumi‖ s The Invention of Women: Making an African Sense of Western Gender … (original) (raw)
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Editorial: engaging new analytical perspectives on gender in the African context
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The field of gender analysis has been marked with two conspicuous dilemmas in the course of the 20 th century: a deep theoretical hype without much progress in resolving theoretical huddles in interpretation; and stagnation in gender advocacy at the political and social level. The former has meant that the main achievements at analytical level are a bit divisive with ‘womanists’ and ‘feminists’ and theorists of masculinity of various traditions of gender studies purporting different views – the divergence school of thought, the difference school of thought and the generic human rights stance. Advocacy that permeates these theoretical divergences influences the social life level and yields less substantive impacts than effort rendered. These dilemmas have, more recently, led to deeper reflection on the progress of gender analysis. Recent conferences are beginning to put the theme on gender at the centre of discussion with the view to reflect on whether the interpretations of the past...
AFRICA AND THE GENDER DEBATE TODAY
This paper examines the gender debate as it affects, divides and unites the people of Africa. Gender has become an important area of scholarship where male orthodoxy is challenged, and since the UN decade for women in the 1970s the level of debate about gender has been profound and divergent. In some circles the debate is not an important issue, while in others, advocacy and affirmative action are the nonn. Ramphele argues that male dominance in the gender discourse is a result of little knowledge of the degree of social interaction between the sexes in many African societies. Oyewumi, on the other hand, contends that African gender discourse is a European invention, and lfi Amadiume holds, using Nnobi in Nigeria as a case study, that in pre-colonial Africa different activities were not performed on the strict distinction between being feminine or masculine. Using a content analysis of data. we examine the salience of the debate and the lessons that could be drawn from it to promote the greater unity of African people, both now and in the future.
WOMANHOOD IN TIV ORATURE: A DECONSTRUTIVE ANALYSIS OF GENDER ROLES IN AFRICA
Philosophy and Praxis, Vol. 11. No. 2. , 2021
The Tiv of Middle-Belt Nigeria are a unique ethnic nationality whose feminine gender is regarded as the heartbeat of the house holder, the measure of all things for the husband and the epicenter of the community. Contrary to the conclusion of the African Neo-cultural positivists, the feminine gender in Tiv is assigned noble roles that elevates than demean her status as a woman. She is neither marginalized nor oppressed and exploited in social, political, economic and religious spheres. Gender discrimination is sine qua non in traditional society though, it is benevolent. The paper argues further that, redemption from discrimination for the kwase Tiv 1 is neither found in liberating her, for she is not enslaved, nor in centering her, she is the epicenter of the house holder. Womanhood in her feminine roles supplements and compliments the men for universal beneficence; the common good of Tiv society. She has womb, kitchen and cradle, but in further empowerment of her female power. We conclude that the roles tradition assigns to women are meant to advance the anatomy of their female power to receive life's impulses to husband its stability and persistence of Tiv society. Woman is a female, and man is a male, different as biological facts though, they both seek in each, the other and the being of their beings.
African Diaspora Archaeology Newsletter, 2010
Reviewed for H-Africa by Jacqueline-Bethel T. Mougoué, Purdue University Dialogues on the Changing Discourse about Gender within African Studies Africanists have been challenging the easy assumption that African gender studies are mostly informed by Western gender ideologies, theories, and methods. The contributors of "Africa after Gender?" attempt to debunk this generalization by highlighting the ways in which African gender theories and methods can "also" influence and contribute to Western gender studies. The editors of the text argue that this can only be done if there are more dialogues about gender studies between scholars based in Africa and those situated in North America and Europe. Thus, the book's overall purpose is to showcase such dialogues. The text has two main goals. The first is to "make a productive intervention in the dynamic of North-South relations, between scholars living and working in Africa and those who reside in Europe and North America." The collaborators "wish to move the discourse on gender in Africa beyond simple dichotomies, entrenched debates, and the polarizing identity politics that have so paralyzed past discussions" (p. 3). The second goal is to present an interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary approach about gender in Africa. By following these two overarching concerns, the diverse authors of "Africa after Gender?" successfully speak to key debates in African gender studies.
2018
Gender continues to be a major issue in the development discourse worldwide. Generally, literature is replete with the marginalization of women in development strategies, hence one of the major factors that contribute to the failure of most development strategies in Africa. It is a known fact that women are economically active in Africa as farmers, workers and entrepreneurs. Yet, within patriarchal societies, they face an array of barriers that prevent them from playing an active role to their full potential to the extent that they can contribute meaningfully and sufficiently to Africa’s development. Gender and development approaches, and many authors within the context of gender and development approaches, have indicated that in bringing women to the mainstream of development, the roles of men in society in relation to women must be brought into consideration. The objective of this chapter therefore is to examine the concept of gender in Africa within a broad development framework....
The Invention of Women: Making African Sense of Western Gender Discourses
2001
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Africa and the Gender Debate: Basis of Division and Future Union
This paper examines the gender debate as it affects, divides and unites the people of Africa. Gender has become an important area of scholarship where male orthodoxy is challenged and since the UN decade for women in 1970, the level of debate about gender is so profound and divergent. In some circles the debate is not an important issue while in others, advocacy and affirmative action are the norm. Ramphele argues that male dominance in the gender discourse is a result of little knowledge of the degree of social interaction between the sexes in many African societies. Oyӗwùmi on the other hand contends that African gender discourse is a European invention and Ifi Amadiume holds that in pre-colonial Africa with Nnobi in Nigeria as a case study, different activities were performed not strictly on a distinction between being feminine or masculine. Using a content analysis of data, we examine the salience of the debate and the lessons that could be drawn from it to promote greater unity of African people now and in the future.
Toward Edifying Gender Theorization in Africa: A Reappraisal
Western feminist arguments, in the true American spirit, have always been very prescriptive. On the other hand, most Afro-feminist theorists have not been too critical of these peculiar prescriptions found in Euro-feminist discourse. The consequence is a questionable application and blending of Euro-American gender ideals with African female values. The undesirability of this experiment is expressed in the name calling with which Afro-feminists have had to put up. This stigma has often produced a rather mercurial Afro-feminist who is ubiquitously here and there. This paper, therefore, attempts a critique of predominant Afro-1 | Page feminist musings and brings out the weaknesses in them while at the same time proposing what could be termed a more enduring and wholesome African gender discourse that would focus more on African peculiarities, be all embracing and less prescriptive.