Gender imbalances in history: causes, consequences and social adjustment.
This article surveys the causes, consequences and social adjustments of gender-imbalanced populations. Though recent studies emphasize the role of medical technology in creating gender imbalances, historical and biological evidence shows that they have deeper and more tangled roots. Female-selective abortion, sperm sorting and other innovations are essentially new wrinkles in a very old social problem. How past societies struggled with and rectified gender imbalances offers insight into how contemporary and future societies might do so--and into the price they will pay if they ignore the problem.
Courtwright
David T
DT
Department of History, University of North Florida, Jacksonville, FL 32224-2644, USA. dcourtwr@unf.edu
D000028:Abortion, Induced / Q000523:psychology; D003469:Culture; D005260:Female; D049672:History, 19th Century; D049673:History, 20th Century; D049674:History, 21st Century; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008297:Male; D008393:Marriage / Q000266:history* / Q000523:psychology; D011247:Pregnancy; D012743:Sex Preselection / Q000523:psychology; D012744:Sex Ratio; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors