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In which type of society would you expect women's status to be highest?

A. pastoralists
B. agriculturalists
C. societies where there is a great deal of population pressure
D. hunters and gatherers
E. industrial states with high unemployment

1 Answer

2 votes

Final answer:

Hunter-gatherer societies, where women play a crucial role in food gathering, are likely to have higher status for women due to their contributions to society and the relative equality they enjoy in these communities.

Step-by-step explanation:

To determine which type of society might have the highest status for women, we can analyze various societal structures. Hunter-gatherer societies often show a relatively high degree of gender equality. Women in hunter-gatherer societies are crucial to the subsistence economy because they gather a significant portion of the food resources. In comparison, pastoralist societies typically have a division of labor based on gender and age where women may have responsibilities such as processing and selling animal products, but may not have as much status due to their roles being more domestic.

Agriculturalist societies frequently saw a division of labor where men took on roles that led to leadership opportunities, whereas women were often relegated to domestic duties. As for societies with population pressure, they may not necessarily equate to higher status for women, as the stress can exacerbate existing inequalities. Lastly, industrial states with high unemployment might not favor the status of women either, as economic hardships often lead to traditional roles being intensified.

In conclusion, out of the given options, hunter-gatherers would likely have the highest status for women due to their critical role in providing food and the egalitarian nature of these societies as mentioned in anthropological studies.

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