Of Procreation and Power

A commentary on Goran Therborn's book, Between Sex and Power (2004), contends that his definition of patriarchy confines it to the private sphere in a way that rejects the orthodox feminist equation of patriarchy & gender inequality. Although Therborn's ambitious study of humanity high...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:New Left review 2005-09, Vol.35 (35), p.79-91
Main Author: Hart, Nicky
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Birth Control
Family Structure
Patriarchy
Political change
Political philosophy
Power
Private Sphere
Procreation
Sex
Sexual Division of Labor
Sexual Inequality
Sexuality
Social Change
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Summary:A commentary on Goran Therborn's book, Between Sex and Power (2004), contends that his definition of patriarchy confines it to the private sphere in a way that rejects the orthodox feminist equation of patriarchy & gender inequality. Although Therborn's ambitious study of humanity highlights marriage, fertility, & patriarchy, his comparative history of the family rules out the inclusion of the study of gender equality. Therborn's geo-political roadmap of the seven major family systems in the contemporary world is explored, along with his descriptions of three pivotal moments when patriarchy was successfully challenged, the relation between changes in marriage & the regulation of sexuality, & the demographic causes & consequences of high-tech birth control. The greatest strength of Therborn's book is said to be its identification of the powerful chronological relationship between trends in gender equality & the willingness of women to perform traditional forms of family labor. Unfortunately, he fails to theorize about the link between changes in the family & broader social/economic forces, especially the connection between gender inequality & women's procreative labor. J. Lindroth
ISSN:0028-6060