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The following is an example of what?

The history of Viking women is constantly changing. For a long time, hist
believed that women in Viking communities lived in a structure much lik
1950's housewives, being mostly subservient to their husbands and stay
home to raise a family instead of working. Yet, now, some historians belie
that Viking women played a more integral role in their societies. Surprisin
research suggests that Viking women were merchants, spiritual guides, ar
warriors.
Counter-argument
B Anecdote
N
C) Generative Development

1 Answer

1 vote

Final answer:

The example is about shifting perspectives on Viking women's roles, suggesting they were integral to society, challenging earlier perceptions of them being mostly subservient. This example reflects a broader trend in historiography and anthropology where the roles and status of women in various cultures are reassessed, revealing more egalitarian early societies than previously thought.

Step-by-step explanation:

The example provided describes a historical perspective shift about Viking women's roles in their society. Traditional views proposed that they were mostly subservient to men, confined to domestic roles similar to the 1950s housewives. However, more recent views challenge this narrative, positing that Viking women may have played integral roles within their communities, being involved in various activities such as trade, spiritual guidance, and even warfare. This reflects a broader historiographical trend, where the past roles of women in various societies are being revisited and reassessed to create a more nuanced understanding of their contributions and status.

In considering the roles of women across different cultures, feminist anthropologists have uncovered patterns that correlated women's direct contribution to subsistence with higher social status and equality with men. Conversely, in societies where women were largely confined to the domestic sphere, they faced more subordination. This has been evidenced through various anthropological, historical, and archaeological studies, suggesting that many earlier societies were more egalitarian than once believed.

Detailed examples of societies where women's roles differed substantially from the traditionally Eurocentric patriarchal norms include Indigenous American societies, where women often played significant roles in farming, building dwellings, and leading communities, as well as societies in which individuals could live opposite traditional gender roles without facing maltreatment. This contrasts with Germanic and other patriarchal societies that limited women's rights and social standing.

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