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Clan Governance and State Stability: The Relationship between Female Subordination and Political Order

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  • HUDSON, VALERIE M.
  • BOWEN, DONNA LEE
  • NIELSEN, PERPETUA LYNNE

Abstract

We propose that the relative influence of clans is an important explanatory factor producing significant variation in state stability and security across societies. We explore the micro-level processes that link clan predominance with dysfunctional syndromes of state behavior. Clans typically privilege agnatic descent from the patriline and are characterized by extreme subordination of women effected through marriage practices. Particular types of marriage practices give rise to particular types of political orders and may be fiercely guarded for just this reason. We construct and validate a Clan Governance Index to investigate which variables related to women's subordination to the patriline in marriage are useful to include in such an index. We then show that clan governance is a useful predictor of indicators of state stability and security, and we probe the value added by its inclusion with other conventional explanatory variables often linked to state stability and security. “I against my brothers; my brothers and I against my cousins; my cousins, my brothers, and I against the world” (Bedouin saying) “At the heart of tribes, to varying levels, is a severe patriarchy” (Jacobson 2013, 58).

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  • Hudson, Valerie M. & Bowen, Donna Lee & Nielsen, Perpetua Lynne, 2015. "Clan Governance and State Stability: The Relationship between Female Subordination and Political Order," American Political Science Review, Cambridge University Press, vol. 109(3), pages 535-555, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:cup:apsrev:v:109:y:2015:i:03:p:535-555_00
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    Cited by:

    1. Donna Lee Bowen & Valerie M. Hudson & Perpetua Lynne Nielsen, 2015. "State Fragility and Structural Gender Inequality in Family Law: An Empirical Investigation," Laws, MDPI, vol. 4(4), pages 1-19, October.
    2. Krieger, Tim & Renner, Laura, 2020. "Polygyny, inequality, and social unrest," Discussion Paper Series 2020-02, University of Freiburg, Wilfried Guth Endowed Chair for Constitutional Political Economy and Competition Policy.
    3. Srinivas Goli & Somya Arora & Neha Jain & Sekher T. V., 2024. "Patrilocality and Child Sex Ratios in India," Population Research and Policy Review, Springer;Southern Demographic Association (SDA), vol. 43(4), pages 1-28, August.
    4. Cheng, Jiameng & Dai, Yanke & Lin, Shu & Ye, Haichun, 2021. "Clan culture and family ownership concentration: Evidence from China," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 70(C).
    5. Scott J Cook & Cameron G Thies, 2021. "In plain sight? Reconsidering the linkage between brideprice and violent conflict1," Conflict Management and Peace Science, Peace Science Society (International), vol. 38(2), pages 129-146, March.
    6. Djemaï, Elodie & Kevane, Michael, 2023. "Effects of education on political engagement in rural Burkina Faso," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 165(C).
    7. Siwan Anderson, 2022. "Unbundling female empowerment," Canadian Journal of Economics/Revue canadienne d'économique, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 55(4), pages 1671-1701, November.
    8. Neha Jain, 2022. "Patrilocality and Child Sex Ratios in India," Working Papers 2265, Indian Institute of Foreign Trade.
    9. Meierrieks, Daniel & Renner, Laura, 2021. "Islamist terrorism and the role of women," Discussion Paper Series 2021-02, University of Freiburg, Wilfried Guth Endowed Chair for Constitutional Political Economy and Competition Policy.
    10. Robert Ulrich Nagel, 2021. "Gendered preferences: How women’s inclusion in society shapes negotiation occurrence in intrastate conflicts," Journal of Peace Research, Peace Research Institute Oslo, vol. 58(3), pages 433-448, May.

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