Gender in World History

Peter N. Stearns is Provost Emeritus and Professor of History at George Mason University. He is the author of many books, including World History: The Basics, and The Industrial Revolution in World History.

Introduction

PART I

Agricultural Societies

1 The Traditional Framework: Agriculture, Patriarchy, Civilizations

2 Early Contacts: Influences from cultural diversity

3 Buddhism and Chinese women

4 Islamic Standards Outside the Heartland: Changes and continuities in India and sub-Saharan Africa

5 The Chinese Influence

Conclusion of Part I: Gender and contacts in agricultural societies

PART II

New Patterns of Contact, 1500-1900

6 Europeans and Native Americans

7 Men and Women amid British Imperialism in India

8 Western influences and regional reactions: Polynesia and Africa

9 Reform movements and gender: Beyond the colonial models

Conclusion of Part II: Gender contact amid rising world trade

PART III

The Contemporary World

10 Immigration as culture contact

11 New international influences: Feminism and Marxism

12 Contact and retract: The Middle East in the contemporary era

13 Latin America: The role of contact in basic change

14 Global consumer culture: The question of impact

15 Globalization and resistance

Conclusion of Part III: Gender and contacts in modern societies

Epilogue

Big picture: From patriarchy to new debate: the role of contacts in the evolution of gender