Feminism and women’s autonomy: The challenge of female genital cutting (2000)
This study is a Exploratory research regarding All FGM/C with the following characteristics:
Author(s): Tietjens Meyers Diana
FGM/C Type(s): All
Health area of focus: None.
Objective: To explore the implications for autonomy theory of these understandings of the relation between culture,FGC,and women’s agency.
Study Population: None
Findings: Neither latitudinarian,value-neutral accounts of autonomy nor restrictive,value-saturated accounts adequately explain women’s agentic position with respect to FGC. I then analyze a number of educational programs that have enhanced women’s autonomy,especially by strengthening their introspection,empathy,and imagination. Such programs,which engage women’s autonomy skills without exposing them to autonomy-disabling cultural alienation,promote autonomy-within-culture. This understanding of autonomy as socially situated,however,entails neither endorsement of FGC nor resignation to its persistence.
Geographical coverage
Region(s):Not specified
Country(ies):Not specified