H I E R A R C H Y


"The logical ordering of reality into hierarchies, dualisms, and binary systems presupposes a...gender dichotomy of man/womany (Dallery 53).
Women have historically operated outside systems of hierarchy (Boulding 212). In fact, the heyday of hierarchical social organization occurred during the Industrial Revolution when household production "went public" and administration became increasingly important. While men struck out into this new public sphere, the women were anchored to home by the presence of children.

So instead of dealing with public markets and bureaucracies, women dealt with neighbors. And therefore they developed their social, communicative, and compromising skills (Boulding 212).

Thus goes the story of the historic role of women as mediators, operating in the interstices of sticky relationships and connections.