Navigating Womanhood in Contemporary Botswana

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Exploring the social construction of womanhood in Tswana culture, this book questions how gendered expectations are shifting in the context of a rapidly changing environment. Seismic social change is underfoot in Botswana, and gender relations are in flux. The governments enactment of extensive legal reforms, national programmes, and international instruments has gone a long way towards ensuring gender equality on an official basis. However, conventionally defined gender roles continue to present major obstacles for women. This book explores what it means to be a woman today in Botswana. The concept of womanhood as a mark of status and responsibility is interrogated, and the social consequences of failing to meet the criteria for womanhood are explored. Stephanie S. Starling considers the multiple and often contradictory burdens women face, the strategies they employ, and the sacrifices they make to meet their obligations. Caught between traditional expectations and modern desires, women share stories of agency, creativity and struggle in defining their own paths. A reflexive account of the fieldwork is presented. confronting the ethical challenges of cross-cultural research from a feminist standpoint.

Reviews

A contemporary approach to the ethnography of gender in southern Africa, this book makes an important contribution through its exploration of the intersections between gender, fertility, and personhood in Botswana. It illustrates the precarity and positionality of women in this region and the need for ethnographic understandings of the lived experiences of those with whom we work. * Rebecca Upton, Colgate University, USA *
A necessary and beautiful book that delves deep, with such tact and academic rigour, into contemporary womanhood in Botswana by centring the womens narratives. By analysing, and exposing the intricate bi-legal, historical, societal and gendered interconnections, the book illuminates the complexities and contradictions of Black Batswana womanhood without being universalistic. * Patrycja Sosnowska-Buxton, The University of Stavanger, Norway *
Stephanie's book is a fluent, compelling, challenging read. The experience of navigating womanhood that she sets out is filled with pain and unachievable standards. Whilst Stephanie explores some of the ways in which attitudes towards womanhood are changing, it seems that change comes very slowly. * Alexander McLean, Founder and CEO of Justice Defenders *
Written in an accessible and captivating manner this book weaves the story of Batswana women through multiple facets of their lives. It brilliantly amplifies the voices of the women telling their stories in their own words. Although written about Botswana, it is very much the story of all African women and indeed many aspects will resonate with women across the world. While acknowledging the positive strides made so far, it also captures the ground that is yet to be won. A must read for all gender and development practitioners, students and women everywhere. * Evelyne Opondo, Africa Director at International Center for Research on Women (ICRW) *
This book is an outstanding contribution to our knowledge of the construction of womanhood in a particular context and location while also contextualising it for women worldwide. It is an in-depth, scholarly study, nevertheless written in clear, accessible English and has my warmest recommendation for readers to further their understanding of the subtleties of gender construction and the implications for diverse womens lives. * Robin Burns, Formerly of La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia *

Author Bio

Stephanie S. Starling is Chief of Staff at Justice Defenders, an NGO providing legal practice, education, and training to prisoners in Africa. She was previously Head of Research for a major data journalism studio specialising in international development trends.