Female Power and Male Dominance: On the Origins of Sexual Inequality

by Peggy Reeves Sanday

In this book, Professor Peggy Sanday provides a ground-breaking examination of power and dominance in male-female relationships. How does the culturally approved interaction between the sexes originate? Why are women viewed as a necessary part of political, economic, and religious affairs in some societies but not in others? Why do some societies clothe sacred symbols of creative power in the guise of one sex and not of the other? Professor Sanday offers solutions to these cultural puzzles by using cross-cultural research on over 150 tribal societies. She systematically establishes the full range of variation in male and female power roles and then suggests a theoretical framework for explaining this variation. Rejecting the argument of universal female subordination, Professor Sanday argues that male dominance is not inherent in human relations but is a solution to various kinds of cultural strain. Those who are thought to embody, be in touch with, or control the creative forces of nature are perceived as powerful. In isolating the behavioural and symbolic mechanisms which institute male dominance, professor Sanday shows that a people's secular power roles are partly derived from ancient concepts of power, as exemplified by their origin myths. Power and dominance are further determined by a people's adaptation to their environment, social conflict, and emotional stress. This is illustrated through case studies of the effects of European colonialism, migration, and food stress, and supported by numerous statistical associations between sexual inequity and various cultural stresses.

Genres: Feminism, Anthropology, Nonfiction, Gender, Sociology, History, Religion

295 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1981

Reviews

[Cameron MacElvee · Rating 5 out of 5]

A good, solid review of the anthropological research into female and male roles in society. All of the claims are grounded in empirical data based on 150+ cross-cultural societies as well as historical data. One pattern that stood out is a culture that has a female deity or a shared creation myth with both a female and male deity, a culture that is based on cooperation, a culture that has adequate resources, and a culture that focuses on life is one with little to no rape of women and girls and sees women and girls as fully human beings worthy of respect. The opposite is also true--a culture with a male deity, a culture based on competition and exploitation, a culture with limited resources, and culture that worships death is one with a lot of rape of women and girls and sees women and girls as objects to be used, abused, and thrown away. This all makes so much sense, especially in the United States, where our culture is based on a fictional male sky god, where we lust for competition and exploitation of poor, brown people, animals, and nature, a culture where resources are limited and awarded to the most exploitive, cruel, and greedy CEOs, is very much a culture that worships the sadistic treatment of women and girls and worships porn, penis, power, and profit. I guess there's not much hope to change things after 6000 years of living the lie.

[Brian Griffith · Rating 3 out of 5]

An early classic that broke ground for a landslide of studies combining anthropology, archaeology, history, and sociology to uncover the roots of traditional gender bias.

[Claire · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book shaped my college experience. It details how creation myths shape a societies gender roles. Absolutely fascinating.