Writting assignment - Essay Example

Gender Roles in food production What defines gender roles in food production, in bands and tribes-roles of women and men in subsistence farming?In band society, gender roles are defined according to their technicalities and energy required. Because of this, men and women play different roles in the production, more so, in food production. For instance, men perform duties, which require endurance and physical strength. This makes them carry out activities such as hunting and preparing the ground for women.

On the other hand, women are assigned tasks that allow for childrens accommodation and child rearing restraints (Scupin Chapter 8). They also participate in gathering wild nuts, cereals, cooking, maintaining a home, and sewing.Contrary, gender roles in tribal society are defined by the individual’s capability. Although women have the primary responsibility for domestic roles, other tribes allow women to take part in subsistence food production. Men are involved in the tough task, such as hunting and gathering which is occasioned during drought (Scupin Chapter 8).

At times, both genders participate in agriculture making it a shared responsibility. How food production reinforces gender roles in each groupThe gender roles in the two societies are based on food production. In the band society, the role of the women is valued so much that they are not allowed to participate in dangerous assignments. Because of this, their roles revolve around domestic duties and caring of home gardens, which the society perceives to be safe. Similarly, the home gardens are next to their houses that they can easily manage.

Similarly, the inadequacy of food supplies during dry spells makes men resort to other avenues other than farming. They resort to gathering food through hunting. This is a hard duty, which women are not performing (Erickson 16). Therefore, availability of food also play a role in reinforcing gender roles.On the other hand, tribes are not involved in gender role specialization as in the case of the band. Women play attention to food production because of the sedentary life that this society lives.

They take actions towards preserving what they have (Otte). Similarly, any of the gender can take part in food production since they are all available for the task.General relationship between gendered division of labor in food production and gender inequalityIn the band society, there is a division of labor where women play different roles in the food production. There are some roles such preparing the fields for planting that women do not do. This is left for men because it is a task, which demands a lot (Otte).

Because of this, there is inequality in terms of gender. Both genders are not equal and participate in different levels in food production.On the other hand, tribal society has a relationship between labor division and inequality. Although both genders perform duties related to food production in equal measure, women are exempted from taking some duties. Men are responsible for performing hard assignments that women cannot do. This is because women have a special reproduction role, which is reserved for them (Kottak 40).

Because of this, the two societies have gender inequality.Works citedErickson, Robi. Lesson 5 patterns of subsistence. 2013. Web. 2014. http://www.slideshare.net/JamaicaTapiculin/lesson-5-patterns-of-subsistencedocKottak, Phillip. Cultural Anthropology: Appreciating Cultural Diversity. (14 ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill, 2010. Print.Otte, Profe. 5b patterns of subsistence food producers. 2013. YouTube. 2014. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yqKbUxIdeVcScupin, Raymond. Cultural anthropology: a global perspective, 8th ed.

Canada: Pearson, 2011.Print.