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Women and Gendered Roles in the History of Diamond Mining in Colonial Ghana

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: The extant literature on diamond industries in Africa has predominantly focused on men, with few attempts to examine the industry from a gendered lens. I trace women and highlight their gendered roles in the diamond-mining industry in colonial Ghana (Gold Coast). Relying on archival, oral, and visual sources, this article highlights women’s involvement in Ghana’s diamond industry in different capacities—as discoverers, washers, licensed prospectors, and dealers. Ultimately, I argue that the dominance men have enjoyed in studies about diamond mining in Ghana (and Africa generally) reproduces the colonial archive but can be overcome through creative and innovative research.

Source: African Studies Review

DOI: 10.1017/asr.2024.251

Author: E. Sasu Kwame Sewordor

Institution: University of Basel

Language: English

Topic: African history and culture studies

Subfield: Anthropology

Field: Social Sciences

Domain: Social Sciences

SDGs: Gender equality, Reduced inequalities, Decent work and economic growth

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $3,550