Oyewumi traces the misapplication of western, bodyoriented. In articulating these debates the paper analyzes scholarly views of most african and westerncentric feminist critiques. Although the epidemic seems to be levelling off, both incidence and prevalence are still high in many parts of the continent. Making an african sense of western gender discourses ebook. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading invention of women. When most people think of an inventor, they think of someone like thomas edison. Nov 21, 2019 ifi amadiume, male daughters, female husbands.
Oyeronke oyewumi reveals an ideology of biological determinism at the heart of western social. Like other studies in the last decade, which critiqued received paradigms of gender analysis in african history, this book interrogates gendered political authority in southern and eastern sierra leone and conceptualizes issues of womens power and authority in new ways. The hot comb was an invention developed in france as a way for women with coarse curly hair to achieve a fine straight look traditionally modeled by historical egyptian women. Making an african sense of western gender discourse by oyeronke oyewumi. Oyewumi, philosophy, africa, gender, feminism, relationality.
Drawing her examples from the oyoyoruba in western nigeria, oyewumi argues that gender has not historically been an important. Gender division was a colonial importation and modern feminism itself, in relation to africa, is a colonial project. Making an african sense of western gender discourses university of minnesota press, minneapolis, mn, 1997. A peoples language reflects their patterns of social interactions, lines of status.
Efforts to control hiv in subsaharan africa meet with considerable difficulties. But other african scholars do see gender patterns in precolonial yoruba culture. Making an african sense of western gender discourses, the central thesis of oyewumi s provocative book was to deny that gender is a fundamental social category in all cultures. African women under precolonial, colonial and postcolonial. This laid the groundwork for technology like gps, wifi and bluetooth. These theoretical perspectives provide a multitude of views to explain gendered patterns, they often juxtapose each other or question the validity of various perspectives, and, ultimately, they should provide insightful debates not full fledged. Lyda newman, a black woman living in manhattan at the time of her invention, pioneered the use of synthetic bristles with her patent filed in 1898.
Making an african sense of the western gender discourses essay sample. Feb 27, 2017 this invention used spread spectrum and frequency hopping technology to remove the threat of jamming by axis forces. A work that rethinks gender as a western construction, the invention of women offers a new way of understanding both yoruban and western cultures. This theme has generated considerable debate on whether african womens gendered status improved or worsened with colonialism. For this entry, however, gender may be understood to refer to defined capacities and attributes assigned to persons based on their alleged sexual characteristics. Decolonizing the curriculum on african women and gender.
The invention of women demonstrates, to the contrary, that gender was not constructed in old yoruba society, and that social organization was determined by relative age. Making an african sense of western gender discourses kindle edition by oyewumi, oyeronke. Mudimbe, of africa as invention, a contested space onto which. Making an african sense of western gender discourses university of minnesota press, 1997, oyeronke oyewumi makes the case that the narrative of gendered corporeality that dominates the western interpretation of the social world is a cultural discourse and cannot be assumed uncritically for other cultures. Her analysis shows the paradoxical nature of two fundamental. A sociolinguistic analysis of the discourse patterns of men and women in their claim for space in the publicformal workplace. Gender and sex in an african society zed books, london, 1995. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets.
This year, however, wed like to highlight some lesserknown but. Her analysis shows the paradoxical nature of two fundamental assumptions of feminist theory. Oyewumi and the colonial invention of women in yoruba society. I use the term coloniality to refer to the patterns of power that emerged from.
She marketed her invention to hotel owners, scandalously going to meetings without a husband, brother, or father to escort her, and eventually opened her own factory. Export a ris file for endnote, procite, reference manager, zotero, mendeley export a text file for bibtex note. Oyeronke oyewumi reveals an ideology of biological determinism at the heart of western social categories the idea that biology provides. The current patterns of inequalities in the production of knowledge which legitimizes knowledge produced in the global north, the politics of citation which makes reference to western authors and research conducted by these authors on africa, and the misrepresentation of african women and men point to the continued effects of western hegemony on gender studies which fails to take. Indiana business research center, kelley school of business, indiana university. Through interaction with caretakers, socialization in childhood, peer pressure in adolescence, and gendered work and family roles, women and men are socially constructed to be different in behavior, attitudes, and emotions. Jul 31, 2017 the invention of women by oyeronke oyewumi is a comprehensive expression into the theory that gender is non a societal class in all societies. Gender and african religious traditions gender has been variously defined in diverse contexts. In literature, painting, sculpture, film, and fashion, the contributors explore the politics of invention articulated by these women as they negotiated prevailing ideologies. As the saying goes, necessity is the mother of invention, but lets not forget about women inventors. This pattern is one in which gender is omnipresent, the male is the norm.
The funny thing is, men have invented a ton more stuff for women than we realize. This is the first comprehensive reader that brings african experiences to bear on the ongoing global discussions of women, gender, and society. This volume is the first thorough investigation of culture produced by italian women under fascism 19221943. The most dangerous phrase in the language is, weve always done it this way. The invention of women free essay example by essaylead. The gender discourse in the philosophy of yoruba and akan. Author oyeronke oyewumi reveals an ideology of biological determinism at the heart of western social categoriesthe idea that biology provides the rationale for organizing the social world. Oyewumi s survey is concentrated in the yoruba in western nigeria. Mar 01, 2017 as the saying goes, necessity is the mother of invention, but lets not forget about women inventors. Making an african sense of western gender discourses bibi bakareyusuf. Apr 19, 2017 before its invention, women had to rely on malecentric methods like condoms, devices with a lower success rate such as sponges, and, if push came to shove, either childbirth or illegal and. Feminism is african, and other implications of reading oyeronke. There is a contradiction in recognizing a social category women constituted on the basis of anatomy and at the same time acclaiming that the yoruba world is not gendered. Each mode of power is like a thread that creates a pattern of significance.
The gendering of african traditions, spaces, social identities, and institutions oyeronke oyewumi this book brings together a variety of studies that are engaged with notions of gender in different african localities, institutions and. An old adage counsels, maternity is a matter of fact paternity is a matter of opinion. March is womens history montha time to celebrate the achievements of women and acknowledge the ways in which many have changed modern life through invention. This invention used spread spectrum and frequency hopping technology to remove the threat of jamming by axis forces. Oyewumi claims that even studies done by african social researchers in. Author oyeronke oyewumi reveals an ideology of biological determinism at the heart of western. The ladies of invention seek to educate and guide female entrepreneurs in creating and selling quality inventions. Barbers association of the oriki with women is related to the special role of wives12 in using praise poetry to affirm and. Women, property and gender ideology in archaic greece hans van wees university college, london women in early greek poetry appear to be appreciated for a full range of qualities, by comparison to classical greek women, whose main virtue in the eyes of men was, it might be. The invention of women by oyeronke oyewumi is a comprehensive look into the theory that gender is not a social category in all societies. May 24, 2016 the funny thing is, men have invented a ton more stuff for women than we realize.
Its an ingrained archetype but that doesnt mean its true. Making an african sense of western gender discourses. African women under precolonial, colonial and post. When martha coston was widowed in 1847, she was only 21 years old. She was also the first africanamerican woman to be granted a patent by the u. Gender definition in sociology sociology of gender. They invented stockings although both men and women wore those in ancient days, high heels men wore those in olden days to state social status, but the tradition has been passed down to females, girdles worn by both men and women at some point, and the list.
Patent and trademark office, for her invention of a folding cabinet bed in 1885. She marketed her invention to hotel owners, scandalously going to meetings without a husband, brother, or father to escort her, and eventually opened. The invention of women university of minnesota press. Bringing together the essential writing on this topic from the last 25 years, these essays discuss gender in africa from a multidisciplinary perspective. Transmission of sexually transmitted infections is determined by the patterns of sexual contacts. The determinants of the epidemic could therefore be divided into two main groups.
Making an african sense of western gender discourse is an extremely interesting work. Thirdgeneration women writers and the new nigerian novel jane bryce university of the west indies, cave hill abstract the paper looks at seven novels by women published since 2000, and asks in what ways they reconfigure realism and the social text of the recent nigerian past. In her book invention of women oyewumi writes in general terms about the. The mothers of invention happy womens history month. Council for the development of social science research in africa, pp. List of inventions and discoveries by women wikipedia. The gendering of african traditions, spaces, social identities, and institutions oyeronke oyewumi this book brings together a variety of studies that are engaged with notions of gender in different african localities, institutions and historical time periods. Invention of women oyeronke oyewumi published by university of minnesota press oyewumi, oyeronke. Agency, social status and performing marriage in postcolonial. A work that rethinks gender as a western contruction, the invention of women offers a new way of understanding both yoruban and western cultures. A meticulous historical and epistemological account of an african culture on its own terms, this book makes a persuasive argument for a cultural, contextdependent interpretation of social reality. A peoples language reflects their patterns of social interactions, lines of status, interests, and obsessions. The debate is centered on precolonial, colonial and postcolonial patterns of gender relations. Making an african sense of western gender discourses first edition by oyeronke oyewumi isbn.
Gender is the division of people into two categories, men and women. Hiv control in lowincome countries in subsaharan africa. The invention of women by oyeronke oyewumi is a comprehensive expression into the theory that gender is non a societal class in all societies. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Oyewumi s study is concentrated in the yoruba in western nigeria. She had four children to support, but she hadnt a clue about how to do so. Before its invention, women had to rely on malecentric methods like condoms, devices with a lower success rate such as sponges, and, if. However, it was annie malone who first patented this tool, while her protege and former worker, madam c. The woman question, this book asserts, is a western one, and not a proper lens. The current patterns of inequalities in the production of knowledge which legitimizes knowledge produced in the global north, the politics of citation which makes reference to western authors and research conducted by these authors on africa, and the misrepresentation of african women and men point to the continued effects of western. The central thesis of oyewumis provocative book the invention of women. See more ideas about women, women in history and inventions. In spite of 20 years of hiv control activities, little or no behavioural change has, with a few exceptions, such as uganda and zimbabwe 2, 3, been. Making an african sense of western gender discourses university of.
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