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| Author | Steven Goldberg |
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| Country | United States of America |
| Language | English |
| Genre(s) | Non-fiction (Sociology) |
| Publisher | William Morrow and Company |
| Publication date | 1973 |
| Media type | Print (Hardback) |
| Pages | 256 |
| ISBN | 978-0-6880-0175-9 |
| Followed by | Why Men Rule |
The Inevitability of Patriarchy is a book by Steven Goldberg, published by William Morrow and Company in 1973. The hypothesis proposed by Goldberg is that social institutions, like patriarchy, that are characterised by male dominance could be explained by biological differences between men and women. Thus, male dominance is quite possibly inevitable.
Biological research has, in fact, since provided more and more evidence of differences in brain and behaviour between men and women (see main entry Biology of gender). The existence of these differences and their effects on behaviour are clear enough. However, they are not yet sufficiently understood to provide a complete causal chain from biology to male dominance; but nor are they sufficiently well understood to rule out such a chain. Goldberg knows his theory is still unproven. However unpopular this explanation may be, though, Goldberg points out it is just the simplest explanation of the facts available to human knowledge, at this point in history. His word for this is that the explanation is technically "parsimonious".
The Inevitability of Patriarchy was Goldberg's first book on this subject. His second book, Why Men Rule (1993) provides a stronger argument. Given the major advances in biology during the twenty years between the books, Why Men Rule presents exactly the same theory, but with more evidence.
Contents |
Contents
Summary
Peer reviewed debate
- Eleanor Leacock. 'The Invitability of Patriarchy'. American Anthropologist new series 76 (1974): 363-365.
- Frank B Livingstone. 'The Invitability of Patriarchy'. American Anthropologist new series 76 (1974): 365-367.
- Steven Goldberg. 'Response to Leacock and Livingstone'. American Anthropologist new series 77 (1975): 69-73.
- Eleanor Leacock. 'On Goldberg's Response'. American Anthropologist new series 77 (1975): 73-75.
- Frank B Livingstone. 'Reply to Goldberg'. American Anthropologist new series 77 (1975): 75-77.
- Joan Huber. 'The Invitability of Patriarchy'. The American Journal of Sociology 81 (1974): 567-568.
- Steven Goldberg. 'Comment on Huber's Review of the Inevitability of Patriarchy'. The American Journal of Sociology 82 (1976): 687-690.
- Joan Huber. 'Huber's Reply to Goldberg'. The American Journal of Sociology 82 (1976): 690-691.
