THE MATRIARCHY AND THE SOCIAL PLACE OF WOMEN IN AFRICA: An afrocentrated approach from African intellectuals
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.22481/odeere.v3i6.4424Keywords:
Mulher; Gênero; Matrilinearidade; Matrifocalidade; Afrocentrismo.Abstract
The article intends to hold a debate on the social, cultural and historical factors present in pre-colonial African societies that contributed to its matrilineal form of organization. Starting from the analysis of the works of three African authors, such as Cheik Anta Diop, Ifi Amadiume and Oyeronke Oyewumi, as well as considering the production of a historiographic debate having relation with their works and centered on the understanding of the factors present in the social organization that confer a high social and political status for women and the role they played in African matrilineal societies. Through the proposal of this debate, we will try to understand how the categories of gender and woman are present in these discourses and the issues related to the use of Western concepts in different realities, as in the case of African societies. In order to raise such questions, we will use an afrocentrated perspective in order to seek analyzes and interpretations aimed at demonstrating the centrality of the African as the subject of his / her history and culture.
Keywords: Woman; Gender; Matrilinearity; Matrifocality; Afrocentrism.
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