Education and Perceptions of Social Status and Power among Women in Larteh, Ghana

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Periodical article

Title:	Education and Perceptions of Social Status and Power among Women in Larteh, Ghana
Author:	Fallon, Kathleen M.
Year:	1999
Periodical:	Africa Today
Volume:	46
Issue:	2
Pages:	67-91
Language:	English
Geographic term:	Ghana
Subjects:	social inequality education women Education and Oral Traditions Women's Issues Peoples of Africa (Ethnic Groups) Education and Training Cultural Roles Status of Women
External link:	http://muse.jhu.edu/journals/africa_today/v046/46.2fallon.html
Abstract:	In examining the status of women in developing countries, most research emphasizes the impact of development indicators, such as income or health, on women. The present paper discusses women's own perceptions of social status and power in Larteh, a rural town in Ghana. The paper focuses particularly on the effects of gender and education on perceptions of social status and power. The first section provides an overview of the history of Ghana, in order to elucidate the current position of women in Ghana. The second section places the definitions of social status and power within an African context. The third section analyses twenty-four interviews conducted in Larteh in 1994. The author asked respondents to discuss their own social status and power in relation to their community. Overall, the findings indicate that a woman's perception of increased social status and power is dependent on education and occupation. Bibliogr., notes, ref., sum.