anthroparchy --------

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I have nothing but sympathy for those who wish to find some single word
to take the place of ``male dominated'' and have no objection to an
author using the word ``patriarchy'' to mean male dominated, provided
that the author makes clear that that non-standard meaning is the one
that is being used. (Of course, since all societies seem to be
patriarchies in this non-standard sense, there remains the question of
whether the term can be used to distinguish anything.) But this
practice does make it difficult for those who use the term in the new
sense to carry on a discussion about societies to which the term in the
old sense applies. (Of course, it may well be true that there are few,
if any, societies to which the term patriarchy, in the old sense, can
properly be applied. (What is the term for a society in which a man's
status and power is largely dependent upon whoever happens to be his
mother's brother?))

So let me contribute the word ``anthroparchy'', which should mean a
society governed or dominated by men (using ``men'' in the non-generic
sense), to this discussion.

--
Peter D. Junger--Case Western Reserve University Law School--Cleveland, OH
Internet:  junger@pdj2-ra.f-remote.cwru.edu    junger@samsara.law.cwru.edu

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