This Anthro Life

In this episode, Angela Saini, award-winning science journalist and author of “The Patriarchs: How Men Came to Rule,” traces the material and social roots of patriarchy with host Adam Gamwell. The duo explores how anthropology can help us better understand the patriarchy and patriarchical power by contextualizing and breaking down big ideas. Anthropology enables us to examine broad, complex topics through specific cultural and historical lenses. It also helps us dissect grand narrative ideas to reveal their historical trajectories. But perhaps most importantly, anthropology reminds us that we need to think about big ideas contextually, especially emotionally and politically charged ideas like the patriarchy. They dive into the definition of patriarchy and its ties to social structures, social privileges, and oppression. The conversation also touches on how different cultures interpret and shape the deployment and maintenance of gender and power to reflect their unique social norms. Saini emphasizes the import