The Female Circumcision Controversy: An Anthropological Perspective [Paperback]

Ellen Gruenbaum (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 1, 2000 | ISBN-10: 0812217462 | ISBN-13: 978-0812217469 | Edition: 1

To the Western eye, there is something jarringly incongruous, even shocking, about the image of a six-year-old girl being held down by loving relatives so that her genitals can be cut. Yet two million girls experience this each year. Most Westerners, upon learning of the practice of female circumcision, have responded with outrage; those committed to improving the status of women have gone beyond outrage to action by creating various programs for "eradicating" the practice. But few understand the real life complexities families face in deciding whether to follow the traditional practices or to take the risk of change.

In The Female Circumcision Controversy, Ellen Gruenbaum points out that Western outrage and Western efforts to stop genital mutilation often provoke a strong backlash from people in the countries where the practice is common. She looks at the validity of Western arguments against the practice. In doing so, she explores both outsider and insider perspectives on female circumcision, concentrating particularly on the complex attitudes of the individuals and groups who practice it and on indigenous efforts to end it. Gruenbaum finds that the criticisms of outsiders are frequently simplistic and fail to appreciate the diversity of cultural contexts, the complex meanings, and the conflicting responses to change.

Drawing on over five years of fieldwork in Sudan, where the most severe forms of genital surgery are common, Gruenbaum shows that the practices of female circumcision are deeply embedded in Sudanese cultural traditions—in religious, moral, and aesthetic values, and in ideas about class, ethnicity, and gender. Her research illuminates both the resistance to and the acceptance of change. She shows that change is occurring as the result of economic and social developments, the influences of Islamic activists, the work of Sudanese health educators, and the efforts of educated African women. That does not mean that there is no role for outsiders, Gruenbaum asserts, and she offers suggestions for those who wish to help facilitate change.

By presenting specific cultural contexts and human experiences with a deep knowledge of the tremendous variation of the practice and meaning of female circumcision, Gruenbaum provides an insightful analysis of the process of changing this complex, highly debated practice.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"This book is essential reading for Africanists, public health specialists, and those interested in the intersections of gender, culture, and societal development everywhere."—Studies in Family Planning

"This smart, systematic analysis of a practice that has multiple histories, forms, and meanings is the . . . most lucid addition to a growing body of anthropological literature. . . . The book is also a compelling introduction to anthropological research and reasoning."—Choice

"Through telling pictures and vivid descriptions, Gruenbaum compels the reader to keep an open mind and to be tolerant as she tries to mend the gap in knowledge surrounding circumcision, constantly reminding the reader of the importance of cultural context."—Arab Studies Journal

"A cooling breath of reason over a fraught terrain."—Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute

About the Author

Ellen Gruenbaum is Professor of Anthropology at Purdue University.

Product Details

• Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: University of Pennsylvania Press; 1 edition (December 1, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0812217462
• ISBN-13: 978-0812217469
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 6 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #211,949 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

26 of 31 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars FGM from the scientific point of view, March 9, 2001

By 

Joanna Daneman (Middletown, DE USA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 10 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)    (COMMUNITY FORUM 04)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Female Circumcision Controversy: An Anthropological Perspective (Paperback)

An anthropological viewpoint is vital to understanding FGM or female circumcision. Surprise, it isn't just an Islamic rite (some Christians in Africa adhere to this age old tradition) Surprise, it isn't mandated in the Koran. Surprise, strong village tradition makes it hard for parents to say no to the practice or even to marry off their daughters. Surprise, some women agree to have it done. It's important to have a researcher do the field work so that we can understand the origins, cultural background and practice of FGM for better understanding.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An excellent introduction to female circumcision, June 29, 2004

By 

Lady Murasaki (Washington, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Female Circumcision Controversy: An Anthropological Perspective (Paperback)

In "The Female Circumcision Controversy," Ellen Gruenbaum provides readers with a highly informative anthropological perspective on female circumcision that is not weighed down with anthropological jargon, making it highly accessible to the "average" reader. She takes on a cultural relativistic point of view, exploring female circumcision through the context of the different cultures in which it is practiced, highlighting how it can be affected by patriarchy, ritual, marriage, mortality, ethnicity, sexuality, and economic development. An important point that Gruenbaum stresses is that while female circumcision has been practiced by many cultural and ethnic groups, the practices themselves vary (i.e. what is removed in surgery, at what age circumcision occurs, etc.) and this point makes it hard to generalize and blame only one factor for female circumcision. She includes her experiences in the Sudan and at the end of the book discusses how female circumcision practices are changing and the how we in the international community can get involved.

Gruenbaum does not condone female circumcision but she believes that many anti-circumcision advocates have taken the wrong approach to fighting the harmful practice. She stresses the need for discussion (not one-sided lecturing) and the fact that other problems such as economic insecurity and education need to be addressed so women will not feel as compelled to continue female circumcision. While a lot needs to be done to ensure that women's rights are not infringed upon, Gruenbaum gives the reader hope by showing many cases of progress.

This book is a gem! It has also made me rethink some things that I thought were "normal" in my culture.

9 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Anthropology, October 3, 2001

By 

pandorasmuse "Bibliophile" (Rockville, MD United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Female Circumcision Controversy: An Anthropological Perspective (Paperback)

I had to read this book for an anthropology class in my freshman year at college. It's a real eye-opener. I had no idea before this book that FGM was practiced anywhere outside of Africa. The description of what can be done was enough to make me mildly uncomfortable (inserting a straw during the healing process to make an extremely small hole for urination and menstruation?) but I could not put the book down. I have a drastically different perspective of this practice now that I understand more of it's cultural significance, rather than seeing it as a cruelty carried out to keep women in a totally inferior state.