Infanticide: Cross Cultural Analysis of the Causes of Infanticide
explanatory Essay
1804 words
Infanticide is not unique to humans. It is practiced by many mammals including some primates. The main difference between human and animal infanticide is that infanticide in humans is performed by the parent(s) of the child while in the case of animals it is usually a male suitor (Caldwell and Caldwell, 2005, p. 208). In pre-modern societies infanticide was done instead of abortions as it allowed for sexual selection, it was much more effective than pre-modern contraception, and it did not require any special skills or esoteric knowledge (Caldwell and Caldwell,2005, p. 205). Infanticide has a history as a method of population control. It is more frequent to throw away girl babies. This may be because of dowries or other cultural reasons. Infanticide seems to occur primarily when it aids one parent, both parents or additional children to survive better or if when the infant has little chance of survival.
Infanticide is a way to alter the reproductive stream before the child has the status of a real person, which is culturally defined (source). The deaths of weak, illegitimate, excess, deformed and unwanted infants are not defined as murder when the infants have not yet been born into the social world. Infanticide occurs cross-culturally for a multitude of causes. The reasons for infanticide can be summed up into three categories: biological (including the health of the child and twin stigmas), economical (relation to other children, women's workload, and available resources) and cultural (preferred gender, illegitimate children). This essay will examine cross-culturally the biological, economic and cultural factors for infanticide.
Biological reasons for infanticide are prevalent especially in countries that lack full medical or...
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In this essay, the author
- Explains the biological reasons for infanticide, especially in countries that lack full medical or prenatal care. in india, infants with deformities or twinships are often killed for the well-being of the family.
- Explains that cultural factors play a role in isolation and lack of kin support, relationship difficulties, and paternal support. infanticide is higher when women do not have economic resources or support of the father.
- Explains the various culturally defined causes of infanticide, such as cultural traditions, preferred gender, or illegitamite children. parents in hunter-gather societies space children and adjust women's workload.
- Explains that cultural traditions may play a factor in birth spacing. infanticide is used to control the size and composition of the family.
- Explains that infanticide is present cross-culturally based on biological, economic, and cultural factors.
- Explains that infanticide is not unique to humans. it is practiced by many mammals including some primates.
- Explains that infanticide occurs in societies where women lack ample resources to raise two children at once. disadvantages for female infants are strongly related to their economic worth.
- Explains that dowries, arranged marriage, inferior status of women, and a caste system may lead to gender specific infanticide.
- Cites biggs, m antonia, gould, heather, foster, diana greene, and cashdan, elizabeth a.
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