Decolonising social norms change
From ‘Grandmother-Exclusionary Bias’ to ‘Grandmother-Inclusive’ Approaches
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 7212915 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Anneke Newman (0000-0002-3363-6326, Ghent University, corresponding author) |
| Year | 2023 |
| Volume | 44 |
| Issue | 6 |
| Pages | 1230-1248 |
| Publication date | 2023-02-22 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | No |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Third World Quarterly (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0143-6597 • E-ISSN: 1360-2241 |
| Publisher | Taylor & Francis (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1080/01436597.2023.2178408 |
| OpenAlex | W4321494888 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 9 |
| References cited | 41 |
This paper contributes to decolonising global health and development by exposing how coloniality in knowledge production informs dominant approaches to shifting social norms underpinning female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C) and child marriage. Major organisations in this field demonstrate systemic grandmother-exclusionary bias, namely sidelining grandmothers as change agents compared to adolescent girls, women of reproductive age, men and boys, and religious leaders. Grandmother-exclusionary bias stems from two assumptions: grandmothers do not influence FGM/C or child marriage; grandmothers only exert harmful influence and cannot change their views. These assumptions reflect Eurocentric constructions of modernity, and limited understanding of cultural contexts where seniority confers authority on female elders in relation to sexual and reproductive health (SRH). Grandmother-exclusionary bias goes against evidence that grandmothers wield authority over these practices; insights from meta-evaluations and systems/socioecological approaches that social norms change requires engaging people who wield authority over those norms; and proof that grandmothers can lead change if engaged respectfully. Instead, I present the 'grandmother-inclusive' Girls Holistic Development programme in Senegal, developed by the non-governmental organisation The Grandmother Project, as a decolonial option. It uses cultural renewal and participatory intergenerational dialogue to support grandmothers in shifting SRH-related norms and healing the damage Western modernity has inflicted on their communities
Political science · Social change · Sociology · Anthropological Studies and Insights · Gender Studies · Law · Migration and Labor Dynamics · Social and Economic Development in India
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| Unique citing works | 9 |
|---|---|
| Citations per year | 3 |
| Citation span | 2023 - 2026 (4) |
| Citation velocity | current |
| Highly cited | No |
| Citation types | Neutral: 9 |