Situating Political Engagement in Their Life Courses and Class Positionalities : Women in Politics in the Republic of Benin

Title data

Alber, Erdmute:
Situating Political Engagement in Their Life Courses and Class Positionalities : Women in Politics in the Republic of Benin.
In: Africa Today. Vol. 71 (2025) Issue 3 . - pp. 69-89.
ISSN 1527-1978
DOI: https://doi.org/10.2979/at.00037

Official URL:

Abstract in another language

Taking an anthropological perspective of the life course, this article contributes to debates on why women’s engagement in politics is so low in West Africa, with special attention to the Republic of Benin. It argues that women’s political engagement must be understood as deeply entangled with their multiple relations, especially their positioning in roles related to gender and the life course. Given that they must balance their engagement with husbands, children, parents, friends, and siblings through different life stages, their willingness to enter politics may change over time. As they experience and describe politics as a dirty and dangerous space, they often seek to protect themselves and their kin. At the same time, their presence in politics confirms deepening inequalities and class-building processes.

Further data

Item Type:	Article in a journal
Refereed:	Yes
Keywords:	West-Africa; Benin; Politic; Women in Politic; Life Course; gender
Institutions of the University:	Faculties > Faculty of Cultural Studies > Chair Social Anthropology > Chair Social Anthropology - Univ.-Prof. Dr. Erdmute Alber
Result of work at the UBT:	Yes
DDC Subjects:	300 Social sciences 300 Social sciences > 320 Political science 900 History and geography > 960 History of Africa
Date Deposited:	30 Jul 2025 06:50
Last Modified:	30 Jul 2025 06:50
URI:	https://eref.uni-bayreuth.de/id/eprint/94382