Prestige and gender role ideology: a study of young Tanzanian men
With the objective of informing theoretical accounts of social learning and gendered conflict, we explore the role of prestige in the formation of men’s beliefs about gender in a semi-rural but fast urbanizing community in north-western Tanzania. Using focus groups and participant observation, we co...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Cambridge University Press
2025-01-01
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| Series: | Evolutionary Human Sciences |
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| Online Access: | https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S2513843X25000040/type/journal_article |
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| author | Alexander M. Ishungisa Joseph A. Kilgallen Elisha Mabula Charlotte O. Brand Mark Urassa David W. Lawson |
| author_facet | Alexander M. Ishungisa Joseph A. Kilgallen Elisha Mabula Charlotte O. Brand Mark Urassa David W. Lawson |
| author_sort | Alexander M. Ishungisa |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | With the objective of informing theoretical accounts of social learning and gendered conflict, we explore the role of prestige in the formation of men’s beliefs about gender in a semi-rural but fast urbanizing community in north-western Tanzania. Using focus groups and participant observation, we contrast the extent to which young men view elders and men from the neighbouring city as prestigious, and the beliefs they ascribe to each category. Elders were viewed as prestigious because of their age and position as preservers and teachers of societal norms. Their prestige was culturally mandated, as evidenced by customs bestowing respect. In contrast, only subcategories of city men were deemed prestigious dependent on individual achievement. Prestige was difficult to distinguish from dominance, as both elders and city men can exert penalties on those with differing views. Elders were viewed as mostly, but not always, unsupportive of women’s empowerment, whereas city men were viewed as mostly, but not always, supportive of women’s empowerment. We conclude that urbanization shifts the distribution of prestige, exposing individuals to novel sources of social influence. However, future studies should be wary not to oversimplify elders as upholders of patriarchal beliefs and city men as universally supportive of women’s empowerment. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-2f7ccd678ad642cdbcf2d1b834f982f6 |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2513-843X |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | Cambridge University Press |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Evolutionary Human Sciences |
| spelling | doaj-art-2f7ccd678ad642cdbcf2d1b834f982f62025-08-20T02:56:27ZengCambridge University PressEvolutionary Human Sciences2513-843X2025-01-01710.1017/ehs.2025.4Prestige and gender role ideology: a study of young Tanzanian menAlexander M. Ishungisa0https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6810-8312Joseph A. Kilgallen1Elisha Mabula2Charlotte O. Brand3Mark Urassa4David W. Lawson5National Institute for Medical Research, Mwanza, Tanzania Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences, Dar es Salaam, TanzaniaDepartment of Anthropology, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA, USANational Institute for Medical Research, Mwanza, TanzaniaHuman Behaviour and Cultural Evolution Group, College of Life & Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, Penryn, UKNational Institute for Medical Research, Mwanza, TanzaniaDepartment of Anthropology, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA, USAWith the objective of informing theoretical accounts of social learning and gendered conflict, we explore the role of prestige in the formation of men’s beliefs about gender in a semi-rural but fast urbanizing community in north-western Tanzania. Using focus groups and participant observation, we contrast the extent to which young men view elders and men from the neighbouring city as prestigious, and the beliefs they ascribe to each category. Elders were viewed as prestigious because of their age and position as preservers and teachers of societal norms. Their prestige was culturally mandated, as evidenced by customs bestowing respect. In contrast, only subcategories of city men were deemed prestigious dependent on individual achievement. Prestige was difficult to distinguish from dominance, as both elders and city men can exert penalties on those with differing views. Elders were viewed as mostly, but not always, unsupportive of women’s empowerment, whereas city men were viewed as mostly, but not always, supportive of women’s empowerment. We conclude that urbanization shifts the distribution of prestige, exposing individuals to novel sources of social influence. However, future studies should be wary not to oversimplify elders as upholders of patriarchal beliefs and city men as universally supportive of women’s empowerment.https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S2513843X25000040/type/journal_articlecultural evolutiongendersocial learning strategiesgendered conflictglobal health |
| spellingShingle | Alexander M. Ishungisa Joseph A. Kilgallen Elisha Mabula Charlotte O. Brand Mark Urassa David W. Lawson Prestige and gender role ideology: a study of young Tanzanian men Evolutionary Human Sciences cultural evolution gender social learning strategies gendered conflict global health |
| title | Prestige and gender role ideology: a study of young Tanzanian men |
| title_full | Prestige and gender role ideology: a study of young Tanzanian men |
| title_fullStr | Prestige and gender role ideology: a study of young Tanzanian men |
| title_full_unstemmed | Prestige and gender role ideology: a study of young Tanzanian men |
| title_short | Prestige and gender role ideology: a study of young Tanzanian men |
| title_sort | prestige and gender role ideology a study of young tanzanian men |
| topic | cultural evolution gender social learning strategies gendered conflict global health |
| url | https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S2513843X25000040/type/journal_article |
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