This paper examines ritual surrounding the female reproductive cycle and its relationship with female power. Data support two patterns: female pollution ritual tends to take place in relatively complex societies with low female contribution to subsistence, low female status, unilineal kinship and extended families; male productive ritual, on the other hand, tends to take place in societies with higher female contribution to subsistence, higher female status, cognatic kinship and small families.

This paper investigates ritual related to the female reproductive cycle. The author examines two types of ritual female pollution-avoidance ritual. meant to differentiate sex roles in a society, and male ritual (including couvade) associated with the female reproductive cycle, meant to minimize sex differentiation. Empirical analysis reveals several societal characteristics associated with each of these two types of ritual, suggesting that ritual can be used to encourage sex role rigidity or flexibility.

This book is concerned with explaining variation in the status of women. The author, after measuring over 50 aspects of status, first concludes that status is not a unitary concept. Therefore the author looks at 10 different domains of status. Many traditional explanations are not supported; most support is found for the influence of social complexity which generally lowers female status.

The second and third parts of this book classify the economic systems of foraging and agricultural societies in the SCCS based on correlations between their institutions of property an distribution. These economic types are then examined for relationships with other social, political, demographic, and environmental factors in order to draw tentative conclusions regarding the origins of the Agricultural and Industrial Revolutions. The fourth part of the book uses cross-national data to examine similar associations in industrial/service economies, and is not included here.

This article explores biological, psychological, and social explanations for menstrual taboos. Attention is paid to the role of men in rituals associated with reproduction--i.e. before, during and after childbirth, as well as during girls' puberty rites.

This chapter is concerned with the conditions under which task allocation between males and females changes in a way that alters the imbalance of power favoring males. The author finds that when female contribution to subsistence is high or low, female status is low, but when female and male contribution to subsistence is more balanced, there is greater equality between male and female status.

This study examines the effect of family structural complexity, residence and descent system, and female contribution to subsistence on women's power in marriage. Results suggest that wives have more power in marriage where there is nuclear family organization and matrilocality. The authors suggest that resource theory should broaden its conception of valued resources to include dimensions such as family organization patterns.

This study tests an ecological-economic theory of female contribution to subsistence, focusing on subsistence type as a potential correlate. In an exploratory analysis, 28 independent variables (not all listed below) are examined. The relationship between female contribution to subsistence and female status is also examined.

A study of the relationship between older women and their young female kin. Relationships between women's relationships with their mother-in-laws and subsistence contribution, residence, descent, and food preparation are examined. Findings offer significant support for patterns in the relationship between older women and younger female kin.

This book is a comprehensive cross-cultural survey of family customs described by anthropologists. It asks about the range and frequency of variation, how the customs compare with American families, and the associations between traits. The author includes many qualitative descriptions in describing variation.