Women and ColonialismKathleen Sheldon LAST REVIEWED: 05 October 2017LAST MODIFIED: 27 June 2018DOI: 10.1093/obo/9780199846733-0067IntroductionEuropeans began arriving in Africa in the 15th century, most frequently settling in coastal enclaves while they pursued trade in goods such as ivory and gold, as well as in slaves. Although some areas came under European sway from those early years, it was not until the late 19th century that the European nations of Britain, France, Germany, Belgium, and Portugal met in a famous conference in Berlin in 1884–1885 and divided areas of influence among themselves. The years of most intense colonialism then followed, with increased warfare when the Europeans attempted, and in most areas succeeded, in enforcing their own political control over African communities. Africans resisted these incursions from the beginning, and the first nationalist movements arose in the early 20th century, culminating in successful transfers to independent status for most African nations in the 1950s and early 1960s. Women were involved in these activities in a variety of ways. Studies of women’s work during the colonial period often show that they lost power and economic autonomy with the arrival of cash crops and women’s exclusion from the global marketplace. Even further, men and international commerce benefited because they were able to rely to some extent on women’s unremunerated labor. The dynamic varied from place to place. In some areas, the introduction of cash crops led to changes in women’s agricultural work and in men’s and women’s control over land. In other areas, women typically continued their work growing food for their family’s consumption while men earned wages by working on tea and cotton plantations or, in central and southern Africa, by going to work in gold, diamond, and copper mines. Some women moved to the newly developing urban communities in search of new opportunities, though the majority remained in the rural areas. Analysis of the development of legal systems under colonialism suggests that women were at a disadvantage, as “customary” laws were established based on male testimony that gave men, especially elite men, advantages over women in issues of marriage and divorce. Women’s precolonial political activity was generally disregarded by the colonial authorities, who turned exclusively to men when they established local political offices. In many parts of West Africa, women were members of associations run by and for women, which gave women the final say in disputes over markets or agriculture. The colonial agents, nearly always men, ignored that reality. Show
General OverviewsThe sources listed in this section offer general overviews of the impact of colonialism on African women. Berger 2003 is a concise summary, while articles in Allman, et al. 2002 and Hodgson and McCurdy 2001 provide a range of research on the colonial era. Sheldon 2017 includes several chapters on the colonial era in a text that covers a broader range of history. Hunter 1933 is an early publication that looks at the impact of South African colonialism on Pondo women. Walker 1990 provides a selection of articles on South Africa, while Bradford 1996, also on South Africa, offers insight into how including women in history can alter interpretations of events beyond simply adding women. In monographs on specific areas or societies, researchers have analyzed the changes in women’s personal lives as wives and mothers and their more public work in the economy and politics; Kanogo 2005, on women in Kenya, and Schmidt 1992, on Shona women in Zimbabwe, use a focus on one place to address a wide range of issues.
back to top Users without a subscription are not able to see the full content on this page. Please subscribe or login. How to SubscribeOxford Bibliographies Online is available by subscription and perpetual access to institutions. For more information or to contact an Oxford Sales Representative click here. How did colonization affect Africa and Asia?African villages lost their manpower for food production, leading to famine. Traditional African villages started to decline and Europeans started employing Asian immigrants, creating tension between the Asians and Africans. The economic structure of African society was changed by Europeans.
How did colonialism impact Africa in the 19th and 20th centuries?African colonies produced raw materials which were expropriated by the colonialists (centre nations). Furthermore, colonialism introduced a dual economic structure within the African economy. It also brought about disarticulation of African economy, education, trade, market, transport and currency institution.
How did colonial rule of Africa affect it in the longer term?Colonial control facilitated the construction of railways, induced large inflows of European investment, and forced profound changes in the operation of labour and land markets (Frankema and van Waijenburg 2012). That is, colonial regimes abolished slavery, but they replaced it with other forced labour schemes.
How did colonial rule affect African culture?Colonialism disrupted not only the political organization and economic production of the many African political entities, it also brought forms of cultural alienation, invasion, and disorientation. Control of wealth, natural resources, and cultural products were the main aims of colonialism.
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