Gender and drought: Experiences of Australian women in the drought of the 1990s

Authors

  • Daniela Sthelik Universidad Charles Darwin (Australia)
  • Geoffrey Lawrence Universidad Central de Queensland (Australia)
  • Ian Gray Universidad Charles Sturt (Australia)

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.7764/rts.78.67-78

Keywords:

Australia, drought, gender, families, women

Abstract

A unique collaborative, sociological study undertaken during 1995–7, explored the social cons- truction of drought as a disaster, with farm families in two Australian states: Queensland (beef producers) and New south Wales (sheep/wheat producers). A decision was made to interview the women and men separately to test our hypothesis

that there would be gender issues in any analysis of a disaster, but particularly one which has such a long-term impact on individuals, families and communities, such as drought. Interviews were conducted with over 100 individuals male and female. We conclude that drought as a disaster is a gendered experience. The paper draws on the narratives of some women involved in the study to identify ‘themes of difference’ which confirm the necessity to maintain gender as a variable in all studies of the social impacts of disaster.

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Author Biographies

Daniela Sthelik, Universidad Charles Darwin (Australia)

Directora del Northern Institute, y Head of School of Social and Policy Research en Charles Darwin University, Australia.

Geoffrey Lawrence, Universidad Central de Queensland (Australia)

Profesor de la Universidad Central de Queensland

Ian Gray, Universidad Charles Sturt (Australia)

Profesor de la Universidad Charles Sturt.

Published

2020-08-13

Issue

Section

Artículos científicos