DOES SEDENTARIZATION PROMOTE GENDER INEQUALITY - A CASE-STUDY FROM THE KALAHARI

Sedentarization has been implicated in the reduction of gender equalit y in some spheres of formerly nomadic Ju/'hoansi (!Kung) and Nharo Bas arwa (Bushmen) life. Concomitant with the shift to sedentism, both the Ju/'hoansi and Nharo have undergone significant economic transformati ons, and these have been accompanied by changes in attitudes towards g ender. Gender equality is examined among the Central Kalahari Basarwa who inhabit Kutse, a sedentary community in which economic change and the adoption of neighbouring people's attitudes have not been as wides pread as elsewhere. Qualitative and quantitative studies show that gen der egalitarianism is still quite strong at Kutse. It is suggested tha t not all foragers who become sedentary also become less egalitarian. Instead, the adoption of the economics and attitudes towards gender fr om non-foraging neighbours facilitates the emergence of gender inequal ity in those Basarwa societies formerly noted for their egalitarianism . Some current development programmes designed by Westerners exclude w omen and contribute to the increase in gender inequality which is emer ging in these societies.