Overview

The volume brings together papers by African and Nordic/Scandinavian gender scholars and anthropologists, in attempts to investigate and critically discuss existing lines of thinking about sexuality in Africa, while at the same time creating space for alternative approaches. Issues of colonial and contemporary discourses on 'African sexuality' and on 'female genital mutilation' are being discussed, as well as issues of female agency and of feminists engagement with HIV/AIDS. The volume contributes to contemporary efforts of re-thinking sexualities in the light of feminist, queer and postcolonial theory.

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9789171065131

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This extraordinary volume is the first of a planned series of publications from the Sexuality, Gender, and Society in Africa program of the Nordic Africa Institute in Uppsala, Sweden. The 13 authors/contributors share a common concern: the extent to which past and current studies of African sexual behavior are skewed by the imposition of Western values and morality, thus diminishing effectiveness of development and public health programs, including curtailment of the HIV/AIDS epidemic. Arnfred, director of the Sexuality Research Program at Uppsala, contributes a long introduction to the volume and its organization into three major sections: 'Under Western Eyes, ' 'Problems of Pleasure and Desire, ' and 'Female Agency.' Contributions within this framework are heavily documented. Professional backgrounds of contributing authors are summarized, as are the careers of six African photographers who contributed their portraits of women and men. A must addition to social science collections in general and African studies in particular, this volume will be of great importance to professionals, graduate students, and advanced undergraduates. This reviewer's hopes are high for the value of future volumes in the series. Summing Up: Essential. Upper-division undergraduates and above. --F. P. Conant, emeritus, Hunter College, CUNY in CHOICE

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