Abstract
There is a need for new analytical and comparative tools in feminst scholarship today. In this article, I discuss some concepts that can make descriptions of gender orders dynamic. I also propose three concepts that differentiate between aspects of gendering: force, scope and hierarchy. Force deals with the importance of gender. Is gender-governed behaviour well defined? Are there sanctions for those who break the gendered patterns of behaviour? Scope deals with how many areas are affected by gendering (division of labour, life styles, interests, body dynamics, etc). Hierarchy has to do with power and assessment of value. Is one gender more powerful or considered more valuable than another? The use of concepts such as these should result in anthropological descriptions that would be more useful for feminist comparisons. Some general feminst issues would also become easier to discuss.
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