Making the Mark

"Gritty ethnography at its best. Descriptively rich and insightful, it does an excellent job of helping readers gain an understanding of insider perspectives on the practice of female genital cutting, and the socially embedded context of these meanings."
"Making the Mark provides a richly detailed grass-roots perspective of the procedure (and of male circumcision) among the Kuria people in southern Kenya....While Prazak's book examines female genital cutting only among one population in Kenya, it provides a model for understanding the grass-roots dynamics shaping the practice. ...Whatever one's opinion, [Prazak] demonstrates the value and importance of seeing the practice through the perspectives of girls, their families and leaders in their communities." * Washington Post online *
"Although many books and articles have been published on this topic in the past two decades, Making the Mark contributes greatly to the literature on genital cutting. ...An absolute must-read for those who wish to gain an understanding in the complexities of genital cutting in the social, political, and cultural life of Kuria people in Kenya." * Africa at LSE *
"Prazak provides a richly detailed ethnographic account of the changing practices and understandings of circumcision-both male and female-among the Kuria people of southern Kenya.....A readable, on-the-ground account ... Prazak writes clearly and skillfully incorporates arguments from the anthropology of ritual, the anthropology of law, and development studies in a way that will be accessible to students at different levels....Summing Up: Recommended." * CHOICE *