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Cities as Catalysts of Gendered Social Change? Reflections from Zambia

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  • Alice Evans

Abstract

Across the world, people in urban rather than rural areas are more likely to support gender equality. To explain this global trend, this article engages with geographically diverse literature and comparative rural–urban ethnographic research from Zambia. It argues that people living in interconnected, heterogeneous, densely populated areas are more likely to see women performing socially valued, masculine roles. Such exposure incrementally erodes gender ideologies, catalyzing a positive feedback loop and increasing flexibility in gender divisions of labor. Women in densely populated areas also tend to have greater access to health clinics and police and so are more able to control their fertility and secure external support against gender-based violence. The urban is not inevitably disruptive, though. Experiences of the urban are shaped by international and national policies, macroeconomic conditions, and individual circumstances. Through this comparative ethnography, this article contributes to literature on the drivers of change and continuity in gender ideologies.

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  • Alice Evans, 2018. "Cities as Catalysts of Gendered Social Change? Reflections from Zambia," Annals of the American Association of Geographers, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 108(4), pages 1096-1114, July.
  • Handle: RePEc:taf:raagxx:v:108:y:2018:i:4:p:1096-1114
    DOI: 10.1080/24694452.2017.1417820
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    Cited by:

    1. Joerg Baten & Michiel de Haas & Elisabeth Kempter & Felix Meier zu Selhausen, 2021. "Educational Gender Inequality in Sub‐Saharan Africa: A Long‐Term Perspective," Population and Development Review, The Population Council, Inc., vol. 47(3), pages 813-849, September.
    2. Liard-Muriente, Carlos F., 2023. "Adaptations, Female Labour Participation, and Innovation among SMEs in Zambia during Covid-19 Pandemic," African Journal of Economic Review, African Journal of Economic Review, vol. 11(4), September.
    3. Sochas, Laura, 2021. "Challenging categorical thinking: A mixed methods approach to explaining health inequalities," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 283(C).
    4. Luca, Davide & Terrero-Davila, Javier & Stein, Jonas & Lee, Neil, 2023. "Progressive cities: urban–rural polarisation of social values and economic development around the world," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 118275, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    5. Zuazu-Bermejo, Izaskun, 2020. "Graduates’ opium? Cultural values, religiosity and gender segregation by field of study," OSF Preprints yn23j, Center for Open Science.

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