Gendered Space

The University of North Carolina Press • Chapel Hill and London • Published In • Pages: 1-294 •
By Spain, Daphne

Abstract

In this study, the author examines how gender-segregated space may affect the status of women in nonindustrial societies. Specifically, the author examines predictors of women's status in kinship, inheritance, and labor. The author argues that the gendered partitioning of space contributes to the subordination of women cross-culturally because these practices limit women's access to information which men use to gain status.

Samples

Sample Used Coded Data Comment
Standard Cross Cultural Sample (SCCS)researcher's ownInformation about segregated dwellings and men's houses were coded by the author from HRAF and from the bibliography of Whyte’s (1978) "The Status of Women in Preindustrial Societies"

Hypotheses (9)

HypothesisSupported
Conventions that partition space in dwellings by gender are negatively related to women’s power in kin networks. (62)Supported
Conventions that partition space in dwellings by gender are negatively related to preference for women in terms of inheritance. (62)Partially Supported
Conventions that partition space in dwellings by gender are negatively related to women’s control over labor and property. (62)Not supported
Men’s huts/ceremonial houses/clubhouses are negatively related to women’s power in kinship networks. (77)Partially Supported
Men’s huts/ceremonial houses/clubhouses are negatively related to preference for women in terms of inheritance. (77)Partially Supported
Men’s huts/ceremonial houses/clubhouses are negatively related to women’s control of labor and property. (77)Partially Supported
Spatially separated labor divided by gender is negatively related to women’s power in kinship networks. (100)Supported
Spatially separated labor divided by gender is negatively related to preference for women in terms of inheritance. (100)Not supported
Spatially separated labor divided by gender is negatively related to women’s control over labor and property. (100)Not supported
Documents and Hypotheses Filed By: dmccloskey103  anj.droe