Matriarchy

Modern Matriarchal Studies

Matriarchy is the subject of modern matriarchal studies, which investigates and presents matriarchal societies found all over the world. These investigations focus not only on the past, but also pay attention to still-existing societies with matriarchal patterns in Asia, Africa, the Americas, and the Pacific area. Contrary to common belief, none are a mere reversal of patriarchy. Rather, they are all gender-egalitarian societies, and many of them are fully egalitarian. This means they have no hierarchies, classes, or domination of one gender by the other.

Matriarchal studies started more than 140 years ago with the pioneering theories of Johann Jakob Bachofen and Lewis Henry Morgan. Bachofen's work in the field of history of cultures represents a parallel to the work of Morgan (in the field of anthropology/ethnology), who conducted research in the indigenous society of the Iroquois of his time. For more than a century, the discussion on “mother right” and matriarchy continued: the subject was used and abused by every intellectual school of thought and political party, each with its distinctly different point of view.

Unfortunately, their research didn't have a scientific foundation because of the lack of a clear definition of this type of society, and because of many patriarchal presuppositions that distorted their findings. Until recently, research in the field of matriarchy has lacked a scientific definition and an elaborated methodology, in spite of the existence of several competent studies and extensive data collection. This absence of scientific rigor opens the door to the emotional and ideological, i.e., sexist and racist entanglements that have been a burden for this sociocultural science from the very beginning. Patriarchy itself has not been critically considered in the treatment of this subject, while stereotypical views of women have often confused the issues.

Over the past few decades, matriarchal studies have been undergirded with a scientific foundation, thus making way for modern matriarchal studies. This enterprise differs in several ways from the previous matriarchal studies: It articulates a specific and comprehensive definition of terms; uses an explicit methodology; and presents a systematic criticism of the ideological, patriarchal bias that characterizes existing social and cultural sciences.

In this way, a new sociocultural science has been created, one that represents a new paradigm. The central tenet of this paradigm is that women have not only created society and culture over long periods of human history, but that all subsequent cultural developments originated there.

At two World Congresses on Matriarchal Studies, organized and guided by Heide Goettner-Abendroth, these largely misunderstood societies were presented to a wider public. In 2003, the first World Congress on Matriarchal Studies, titled “Societies in Balance,” took place in Luxembourg; the second World Congress on Matriarchal Studies, titled “Societies of Peace,” was held 2005 in San Marcos, Texas.

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