The module familiarises students with the significance of 'gender' as an axis of Social differentation in African societies. In semester I, after introducing gender as an important parameter in development theories and policies, we focus on empirical and theoretical studies of African lives and work (social and domestic organisation; production; reproduction; gendered divisions of labour and patriarchy). Initially, the second semester's focus is on policy: how are gender issues incorporated, or not, into policies in African societies (poverty, education, health, nutrition and fertility), while the last three sessions examine the complexities of feminisms in cross-cultural contexts.