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Project

Female Genital Cutting in a Comparative Perspective. An Examination of changes in prevalence, type and degree of medicalization of the practice in multiple African countries.

Female genital cutting (FGC) in one form or another is currently practiced in most African countries. In the current research proposal we intend to shed light on the practice by examining changes in the practice over time and across generations. We make use of two datasets; the Demographic Health Survey (DHS) data and the Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys (MICS) data. The most recent waves of the DHS and MICS surveys provide data regarding FGC prevalence for 27 countries, but have started to collected data in a number of countries since 1995. Both surveys are nationally representative, cross-sectional, household sample surveys with large sample sizes, typically between 5000 and 15,000 households. Based on the DHS and MICS data, the current research proposal intends to stipulate a macro-sociological approach to the study of FGC. We examine three research questions; (1) whether there are substantial differences between African countries, in the prevalence, type and level of medicalisation of FGC. In addition, we intend to establish trends across time and between generations; (2) whether the level of female empowerment is associated with FGC in both mother and daughter; and (3) how the implementation anti-FGC laws and norms, often imposed by the international community, impacts the local community and practices of FGC.
Date:1 Oct 2016 →  30 Sep 2020
Keywords:FEMALE CIRCUMCISION, GENDER EQUALITY, MEDICALISATION, COMPARATIVE RESEARCH
Disciplines:Applied sociology, Policy and administration, Social psychology, Social stratification, Social theory and sociological methods, Sociology of life course, family and health, Other sociology and anthropology