Women in Sub-Saharan Africa

Iris Berger's essay focuses on east and southern Africa, tracing women's history from earliest times to the present. By exploring their place in social, economic, political and religious life, Berger highlights the changing societal position of women through shifts over time in ideas about gender and the connections between women's public and private spheres. The essay by E. Frances White examines the status and activities of women in west and central Africa, from the earliest periods through the rise of various kingdoms and states, to the establishment of colonies and independent nations. It looks at women's participation in trade, including slave trade, and agriculture; women's political roles in chiefship, other leadership positions and nationalist movements; and the current constraints under which women function.