Women In Human Evolution

Book Overview

This volume, the first of it's kind, examines the role of women paleontologists and archaeologists in a field traditionally dominated by men. Women researchers in this field, have questioned many of the assumptions and developmental scenarios advanced by male scientists. As a result of such efforts, women have forged a more central role in models of human development and have radically altered the way in which human evolution is perceived.
This history of the feminist critique of science, is of profound significance and will be of interest to all those who work in the fields of anthropology, archaeology, paleontology, and human biology.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0415108349
• ISBN13: 9780415108348
• Release Date: April 1997
• Publisher: Routledge
• Length: 232 Pages
• Weight: 1.02 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 6.2" x 9.2"

Customer Reviews

A Genderred Evolution

The volume Women in Human Evolution provides an excellent collection of short essays debating the role of women in human evolution, an event where typically men are only examined as key actors. The volume looks beyond a female's role as a passive child rearing observor, and gives her an active role in the evolution of the species. The topic is explored by Lori Hager, questioning the long renowned theory of the "food sharing" hypothesis, and the sexing of the infamous skeletal remains of "Lucy." Mary Leaky is hailed. Other topics in the volume include feminism's relationship with science, the female impact of primatology, the "African Eve" hypothesis, and the evolution of the brain. Each essay, written by females in the paleoanthropology field, causes the reader to pause and reflcet upon the fact that science cannot be value-free and unbiased, but will carry with it the preconceived notions of the researcher. Most researchers having been male, this gives the field an extremely biased view on the evolution of Man, and subordinates women to a negligable role in bringing the Human species to its current condition. The volume presents alternative views to this Male-biased history and provides women their undeniable and long overdue role in evolution. A must-read for all in the field of physical anthropology who may have been taught in the biased tradition of assigning gender roles baselessly to the past that women are passive sex-objects, male play-things, and nothing of themselves.