As explained in “A World Full of Women,” how do anthropologists categorize human cultures now and in the past?
Ward (118) contends that anthropologists categorize human culture based on the sexual division of labor whereby survival tasks within the society are assigned based on one’s gender. However, this “natural” arrangement could be altered by such factors as the environment, historical forces, or changes in the world economy. This changes the division of labor, sometimes irrevocably.
As discussed in “A World Full of Women,” why is the hunting-gathering or foraging way of life extremely significant for anthropologists?
Ward (120) argues that the foraging way of life is extremely significant for anthropologists because it helps us to relate how Homo sapiens lived before the start of agriculture and the domestication of both plants and animals nearly 10,000 years ago. Besides, this way of life is significant for anthropologists since what foragers collect or catch for consumption differs from their environment (Ward 120).
Anthropologists find the topic of the foraging way of life interesting because it also tells us more about how the group structures of the hunter-gatherers were organized, and how the division of labor occurred along the gender divide. The activities of gathering and carrying food, as well as the spirit of sharing that food as practiced by the foraging societies are some of the key complexes that shape modern human life (Ward 121).
Two aspects of women’s contributions to work that have previously overlooked and unrecognized
Ward (121) has endeavored to illuminate women’s work in ways we may not have seen before. Apart from their immense toil in producing children and clothing, women were also involved in the invention of tools, just like their male counterparts. Ordinarily, we would have expected men to be at the forefront in the invention of tools but there is evidence that women were behind inventions like slings to carry babies, skin bags, and woven baskets. Besides, women of 24,000 years ago were also skillful skirt makers.
Similarity and differences among
Gender vs. Sex
Gender refers to the projected or perceived element of human sexuality (Kottack 210). It is the inner feeling that enables an individual to claim that he/she is female or male. As a social presentation process, the description of gender roles is based on behavioral norms and expectations. On the other hand, sex refers to the genetic or biological component. Most species are normally grouped into classes called sexes. These are complementary groups that when combined, yield male and female sexes. As such, the sexual categories are indicative of the reproductive roles that an individual can accomplish during his/her lifetime.
Division of labor vs. Gender stratification
Division of labor is the specialization of the labor force into explicit and restricted roles or tasks (Kottack 233). The division of labor can also occur along the gender divide. For example, men have traditionally acted as the breadwinners while women bear children, take care of them, cook, and look after the home. In contrast, gender stratification refers to the uneven distribution of power, privilege, and wealth between women and men. It refers to the meaning that is often attached by a culture to being a male or female. Since society affords women fewer resources and power in comparison with men, gender is thus a crucial dimension of social stratification.
Matriarchy vs. Patriarchy
Matriarchy refers to a group or society in which females, and more so mothers, assume the central roles of moral authority, responsibility, and leadership for the property (Kottack 241). On the other hand, patriarchy is a term used about a group or society whereby men possess more power in comparison with their female counterparts.
Works Cited
Kottack, Conrad. Mirror For Humanity: A Concise Introduction to Cultural Anthropology, 8th Edition. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2011. Print.
Ward, Martha. A World Full of Women. 1996. Web.