Premium
the political use of Sande ideology and symbolism
Author(s) -
BLEDSOE CAROLINE
Publication year - 1984
Publication title -
american ethnologist
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.875
H-Index - 78
eISSN - 1548-1425
pISSN - 0094-0496
DOI - 10.1525/ae.1984.11.3.02a00030
Subject(s) - elite , ideology , solidarity , politics , context (archaeology) , sociology , political economy , political science , law , history , archaeology
Recent studies of the women's Sande society of West Africa have argued that the Sande seeks to produce symbolically pure adult women as well as bonds of female solidarity. This paper shows that Sande elite often side with elite men and exploit subordinate women. Crucial Sande symbolism merges differentiating features between the sexes. Conclusions are drawn about strategic uses of the Sande ideology by the elite in the context of its regional political economy.