Anthropology of Breast-Feeding: Natural Law Or Social ConstructVanessa Maher On the whole, the debates surrounding the issues of breast-feeding - often reflecting ethnographic and ill-informed medical and demographic approaches - have failed to treat the deeper issues. The significance of breast-feeding reaches far beyond its biological function; in fact, the authors of this volume argue, there is nothing `natural' about breast-feeding itself. On the contrary, attitudes and practices are socially determined, and breast-feeding has to be seen as an essential element in the cultural construction of sexuality. This volume offers an `ethnography' of breast-feeding by examining cultural norms and practices in a number of European and non-European societies, thus presenting valuable and often astonishing empirical material that is not otherwise readily available. The highly original focus of this volume therefore throws new light on gender and on social relationships in general. |
Contents
BreastFeeding and Baraka in Northern Tunisia | 37 |
Research | 59 |
BreastFeeding Patterns | 91 |
Copyright | |
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Common terms and phrases
adult Africa Anthropology appears Ardener baby Bad Milk Balsamo baraka behaviour biological biological reproduction birth bottle-feeding breast breast-feed breast-feeding breast-milk century conjugal contraceptive Creyghton cultural demographic developing countries doctors economic effects Eggert Ólafsson emotional example fact father female fertility foster fosterage gender girl give Hastrup hospital household husband Icelandic important infant feeding interviewed Iran Iranian Islamic Jelliffe and Jelliffe Kami Khmir labour lactation lengthy breast-feeding London Maher mahram male marabout marriage marry maternal bonding maternal depletion Milk Illness milk kinship milk mother milk relationship months mother and child mother's milk Muslim natural Nepal niya nursing nutritional Oxford Panter-Brick parents particular patrilineal patterns pediatrician period physical post-partum taboo practice pregnancy relation reproduction ritual role rules rural Salme sexual social societies status stress suckling symbolic Tamang Tamangni tion Turin University of Turin village weaning Western wet-nurse wife woman women