This course offers an introduction to contemporary egalitarian matriarchies and matrifocal family/communities. Cultural upheaval, such as that which the United States is currently experiencing, occurs when existing social structures no longer satisfy the needs of the majority of that society’s constituents. This class is therefore intended as a potential antidote to the dominant cultural paradigm’s often intense pressure to conform to hegemonic social standards such as, for example, the so-called ‘nuclear’ family, or the myth of female inferiority. Concepts such as horizontal social consensus, sacred matrifocality, and economic reciprocity will be introduced, as well as how they may be productively and pragmatically employed within a patriarchal society. The goal of this course is to encourage alternative family forms and supportive, diverse communities in today’s world.