Public Motherhood in West Africa as Theory and Practice

Semley, Lorelle

doi:10.1111/j.1468-0424.2012.01698.x

Cited by 6 publications

(1 citation statement)

References 0 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…As a trope source, women's bodies carry connotations that are meaningful within Yoruba cultural structure. These tropes variously symbolize power -economic, social, political, and supernatural -and affect the way their bodies are treated in religious and social spheres (Matory 2005;Nadel 1970;Nolte 2008;Obayan 2012;Omari-Obayemi 1996;Peel 2002;Semley 2012;Stevens 2006). Iya Efun projects the image of a mother, a deeply spiritual one but along the lines of Christian traditions.…”

Section: The Ghost and The Ase In Iya Efunsetan's Faith Performancementioning

confidence: 99%

The Ghosts of Performance Past: Theatre, Gender, Religion and Cultural Memory

Adelakun

2017

Religion and Gender

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

This article studies the phenomenon of ghosting in religious performance through an examination of a famous Yoruba actress, Iyabo Ogunsola (Iya Efunsetan). Ogunsola once played the role of a 19th century historical character, Efunsetan Aniwura, on stage at a remarkable period of Yoruba history thus embedding her life and career trajectory with that of the culture. Iya Efunsetan has currently transited to an Aladura church leader and a gospel performer. Building on works by theatre/performance scholars who have studied how previously staged performances haunt the re-enactment of performances in another place, time, and context, I examine the religious aspect of the phenomenon of ghosting as it relates to Ase, Yoruba concept of metaphysical force. While Iya Efunsetan cannot shake off the ghosts of her theatrical past, I note that she mobilizes the Ase of her embodied theatrical history fame to authenticate herself as a religious leader.

show abstract

Section: The Ghost and The Ase In Iya Efunsetan's Faith Performancementioning

confidence: 99%

The Ghosts of Performance Past: Theatre, Gender, Religion and Cultural Memory

Adelakun

2017

Religion and Gender

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

Women Across Cultures

Lips¹,

Lawson²

2019

Cross‐Cultural Psychology

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

From caretaking to transaction: Women politicians, motherhood, and political authority in Kenya

Kilimo

2024

Feminist Anthropology

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Feminist scholars have noted how motherhood opens avenues for women to access political authority. For African and Black women, scholars have noted how presenting themselves as mothers in the political sphere allows them to capitalize on an identity that traditionally allowed them access to power. However, these perspectives on motherhood and politics privilege a perspective on motherhood that deems the role as selfless and sacrificial. In this article, I propose moving beyond the caretaking dimensions of motherhood when analyzing how women politicians utilize motherhood. Drawing on evidence from research among Kenyan women politicians between 2017 and 2020, I argue that political motherhood often emerges as a transaction. Rather than interpreting the actions of women politicians as an extension of maternalistic impulses into the political realm, I illustrate how women politicians present the benefits of motherhood in exchange for citizens’ votes. By diversifying the meanings of political motherhood beyond caretaking and communal roles, this article counters perspectives that assume women politicians are less corrupt or are the victims of patriarchal politics. Instead, by foregrounding the transactional dimensions of political motherhood, this article illustrates how women politicians strategically use gendered identities to build political authority.

show abstract

Public Motherhood in West Africa as Theory and Practice

Cited by 6 publications

References 0 publications

The Ghosts of Performance Past: Theatre, Gender, Religion and Cultural Memory

The Ghosts of Performance Past: Theatre, Gender, Religion and Cultural Memory

Women Across Cultures

From caretaking to transaction: Women politicians, motherhood, and political authority in Kenya

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About