Gender roles and insect foraging
Who harvests insects? Who collects them, who consumes them, who makes money from selling them?
The role of gender in entomophagy is fascinating, unpredictable, and important: Traditionally, the collection of certain insects is 'men's work'; the collection of others is the prerogative of women and children. What determines these differences? As economic markets rise and fall with various aspects of economic change, men are beginning to take on women's work and vice versa.
I am interested in the topic of gender and entomophagy from two perspectives: The evolutionary history of insect collection and gender roles; and the future potential of insects as a source of income.
Below is a presentation I gave at the AAPA conference in Calgary, Canada, on a case study of entomophagy, evolution and gender, from rural Japan:
The role of gender in entomophagy is fascinating, unpredictable, and important: Traditionally, the collection of certain insects is 'men's work'; the collection of others is the prerogative of women and children. What determines these differences? As economic markets rise and fall with various aspects of economic change, men are beginning to take on women's work and vice versa.
I am interested in the topic of gender and entomophagy from two perspectives: The evolutionary history of insect collection and gender roles; and the future potential of insects as a source of income.
Below is a presentation I gave at the AAPA conference in Calgary, Canada, on a case study of entomophagy, evolution and gender, from rural Japan:
