UTC Society and Gender Roles in the Hunting and Gathering Communities Discussion

The Module 7 Discussion highlights a short article by Ernestine Friedl entitled Society and Sex Roles

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. In this excerpt from a seminal work written in 1978, Friedl addresses the broader issues of a gendered division of labor, gender equality, and the relative status of men and women in hunting and gathering societies. Historically, many anthropological films and studies have focused on the importance of male activities by highlighting the idea of men as great hunters, often dismissing other domestic and subsistence activities performed by women. Similar critiques were levied at modern western nations, as the domestic tasks undertaken by women in the home were devalued relative to the economic activities of men, whose work took them outside of the home. In this article, Friedl raises important questions about the gendered division of labor and cross-cultural perspectives on equality.

For this assignment, read Friedl’s article. After reading the article, answer the following questions in your discussion post and comment/respond to one other students post.

In hunting and gather societies, how does the distribution of food hunted by men tend to differ from food gathered by women in the four types of H&G societies identified in the article? Compare the Washo, Hadza, Tiwi, and Eskimo.

If you were to summarize Friedl’s work, what is the biggest factor related to the status of women in any given society?

Name two factors identified by Friedl that explain why women do not traditionally hunt in H&G societies. Which factor seems most likely to you?

How does Friedl’s article apply to our own society? How do our economic and social systems impact gender equality and the domestic division of labor?