The Female Circumcision Controversy: An Anthropological PerspectiveTo the Western eye, there is something jarringly incongruous, even shocking, about the image of a six-year-old girl being held down by loving relatives so that her genitals can be cut. Yet two million girls experience this each year. Most Westerners, upon learning of the practice of female circumcision, have responded with outrage; those committed to improving the status of women have gone beyond outrage to action by creating various programs for "eradicating" the practice. But few understand the real life complexities families face in deciding whether to follow the traditional practices or to take the risk of change. |
Contents
1 | |
1 Patriarchy | 36 |
2 Ritual and Meaning | 48 |
3 Marriage and Morality | 76 |
4 Ethnicity | 102 |
5 Sexuality | 133 |
6 Economic Development | 158 |
7 Change | 176 |
Other editions - View all
The Female Circumcision Controversy: An Anthropological Perspective Ellen Gruenbaum Limited preview - 2001 |
The Female Circumcision Controversy: An Anthropological Perspective Ellen Gruenbaum No preview available - 2001 |
The Female Circumcision Controversy: An Anthropological Perspective Ellen Gruenbaum No preview available - 2001 |