Gender at the Crossroads of Knowledge: Feminist Anthropology in the Postmodern Era

by Micaela di Leonardo

Gender at the Crossroads of Knowledge brings feminist anthropology up to date, highlighting the theoretical sophistication that characterizes recent research. Twelve essays by outstanding scholars, written with the volume's concerns specifically in mind, range across the broadest anthropological terrain, assessing and contributing to feminist work on biological anthropology, primate studies, global economy, new reproductive technologies, ethno-linguistics, race and gender, and more. The editor's introduction not only sets two decades of feminist anthropological work in the multiple contexts of changes in anthropological theory and practice, political and economic developments, and larger intellectual shifts, but also lays out the central insights feminist anthropology has to offer us in the postmodern era. The profound issues raised by the authors resonate with the basic interests of any discipline concerned with gender, that is, all of the social sciences and humanities.

Genres: Anthropology, LGBT, Feminism, Gender, Research, Nonfiction

436 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 1991

Reviews

[Hannah Spadafora · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5... Overall a detailed collection of essays and interesting case studies giving insight into local practices around the globe related to the roles, experiences, challenges, and perceptions of women in labor, domestic, and political spheres. This discussed the political history of colonialist reinforcement of gender roles, power and constraint in Inca civilization, the practice of amniotic testing in pregnancy, and challenges to limited theories of kinship, among other topics. Slight knock off the rating as some parts are slightly dated (even though others present that progressive standpoints have had evidence to back them up since the 1800s.) Some essays also, while well defined in methodology, were a bit too generalized in conclusions for comfort (like, surprisingly not including exact numbers of representation but using select case studies that give ideas about people of race and class lines reactions, while it remaining ambiguous if this was extrapolated out from limited data into general rules). Also, given the title, I had hoped there would be discussion addressing gender as beyond the two system binary. Overall, though, it's a particularly interesting and varied read, with lots of on point questions, thought provoking theories, and informative ethnographic/ethnohistorical research.