This study builds upon recent class and gender-sensitive research in
Africa by focusing attention on the history of women in the economy,
society, Christian churches and politics of Lesotho throughout the
colonial era. It questions prevailing assumptions about women and gender
in the historiography. These include the dualistir, portrayals of
conservative women and radical men, patriarchal chiefs and enlightened
Europeans, female homemakers and male proletarians, reactionary Catholics
and modern Protestants, and progressive Congress Party and regressive
National Party. It also pMresses the broader question of how the
subordination and exploitation of Basothc women changed over time. That
is, how was Basotho women's prs-papitaliot subordination to men perceived
and contested over by African and European males as new classes formed?
How did Basotho women themselves perceive class transformation and take
advantage of new opportunities? How did gender ideology and gender
struggle come to assume strong political implications at the eve of
independence?