In anthropology, cross-cultural research is fundamental. In relation to mothering, cross-cultural research becomes enlightening, not only to understand the practices of so-called Others, but also to understanding ourselves. The Anthropology of Mothering has developed fairly unnoticed until the last couple of years, when an increase of research, attention, and respect has suddenly appeared. Geographically, this anthology focuses on places and populations from Canada, the United States, Central and South America, the South Pacific, Australia, Asia, the Middle East, Africa, and Europe. The experiences and ideas represented within this volume are much more than geographically diverse, as Indigenous and immigrant,rural and urban, religious and secular populations are represented,as well as one chapter focused on primate and hominid mothering. Through the consideration of the experiences of grandmothers, au pairs, biological and adoptive mothers, mothers of soldiers, mothers of children with autism, mothers in the corrections system, among others, it becomes clear that human mothering is neither practiced nor experienced the same the world over indeed, even a single definition of what mothering is cannot be formed by the contributors of this anthology. Instead, while ideas of good mothering exist in every culture, the effects of colonialism and migration, as well as different understandings of and relationships to food, religion,and government play prominent among many other factors, including age, relationship status, and sexuality of mothers themselves, to affect what is understood as good versus 'bad' mothering

An Anthropology of Mothering

Politics & Social Sciences

Walks, Michelle

McPherson, Naomi

Anthropology

Demeter Press

<p><div><i>Mothers, Sex, and Sexuality</i> talks about things not normally dared spoken out loud. It&nbsp;presents a rigorous academic analysis of the myriad ways in which the sexual/maternal divide affects women, birthing people, and those of us who assume or are ascribed the title "mother." We examine the way we as mothers talk to our daughters about sex, the way we talk about sex in a cultural context, and the deafening silence around sex in a medical system that overlooks maternal sexuality. We return repeatedly to the impact of both Christianity and Hinduism on the mother as someone to be revered but tightly controlled. We embrace the lost eroticism of mothering and hail breastfeeding as a sexual maternal practice. We discuss the way fat mothers destabalise the heteronormative maternal model, the way kinky queers are reconfiguring the sexual/maternal divide, and we explore the domestic relationship that springs up between mothers and nannies. In a titillating climax we revel in the sexual maternal as embodied through performance art, poetry, installations, and comedy. This book boldly provides both a challenge to the patriarchal constraints of motherhood and a racy road-map escape route out of the sexual-maternal dichotomy.</div></p>

Mothers, Sex, and Sexuality

Literature & Fiction

Zwalf, Holly

Mortenson, Joani

History & Criticism

AmazonUs/INDPB

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