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SUMMARY:Female Sexuality as Capacity and Power? Re-Conceptualizing Sexuali
 ties in Africa  - Dr Signe Arnfred\, Rosklide University
DTSTART:20150209T170000Z
DTEND:20150209T183000Z
UID:TALK56980@talks.cam.ac.uk
CONTACT:Judith Weik
DESCRIPTION:This Talk is part of the Centre of African Studies Lent term S
 eminar Series: Gender in Africa \n\nThe presentation will highlight differ
 ent lines of thinking/conceptualizing female sexuality. One line of thinki
 ng female sexuality goes back to the Bible\, with its expulsion of female 
 desire (Eve from the Garden of Eden) and separation of sexuality from moth
 erhood (Virgin Mary). Biblical conceptions of female sexuality have inform
 ed missionary and colonial approaches to sexuality in Africa. Rooted in We
 stern feminist notions\, Gender-and-Development lines of thinking usually 
 emphasise hierarchies of gender (disregarding hierarchies of age) while se
 xuality is seen in terms of male domination/female vulnerability\, with se
 x as a zone of risk and danger for women. For coming to grips with female 
 rituals of initiation in matrilineal northern Mozambique\, however\, diffe
 rent approaches are needed. With inspiration from post-colonial feminist t
 hinking  (Ifi Amadiume\, Oyèrónké Oyewùmí\, Nkiru Nzegwu\, Sylvia Tam
 ale and Bibi Bakere-Yusuf among others) it becomes possible to see rituals
  of initiation as strongholds of female power\, and as sexual capacity bui
 lding of young women\, preparing for marriage and motherhood. Based on fie
 ldwork in northern Mozambique the presentation will discuss different line
 s of understanding female sexualities in Africa\, also discussing implicat
 ions of such different understandings.
LOCATION:Seminar Room S1 Alison Richard Building\, 7 West Road\, Cambridge
  CB3 9DT
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