What does feminist anthropology explore?

Feminist anthropology specifically focuses on understanding gender roles and women's experiences across different cultures. This branch of anthropology emerged as a response to the traditional anthropological narratives that often overlooked or marginalized the contributions and experiences of women. By examining the cultural constructs surrounding gender, feminist anthropology seeks to analyze how social roles, power dynamics, and inequalities are shaped by gendered expectations and practices.

This approach does not only consider women's perspectives but also examines how the intersection of gender with other social categories, such as race, class, and sexuality, impacts individuals' experiences in diverse cultural contexts. By highlighting the voices and lived experiences of women, feminist anthropology contributes to a more nuanced understanding of human societies and challenges the prevailing norms and structures that perpetuate gender inequality. This makes it distinct from anthropological studies that may focus more broadly on social structures or economic systems without a specific emphasis on gender.