Changing Webs of Kinship: Spotlights on West Africa

Abstract

Changes in kinship relations are part of the broad social change in all African societies. This article highlights trends and characteristics of changing kinship relations in West Africa. Its analysis focuses on the twentieth century, which was shaped by the colonial conquest and profound societal transformations like the political independence of the African colonies. In analysing three important kinship relations – parent–child relations, marriage, and care for the elderly – this article depicts the trends and conditions of historical change of these relationships. It also shows whether and how these changes are accompanied by conflict, and how people refer to the different ways of dealing with those conflicts. The article is based on empirical data from three thematically intertwined research projects.

Prioritising Family Needs: A Grounded Theory of Acculturation for Sub-Saharan African Migrant Families in Australia

“…The people are predominantly patrilineal and patrimonial with strong power-distance relationships based on ascribed status, gender and age (Hofstede 2001). Kinspeople are treated as siblings and being part of a kinship group involves taking responsibility for one another, sharing resources as well as child-rearing responsibilities (Alber et al 2010;Onwujuba et al 2015).…”

From the singular to the plural: Exploring diversities in contemporary childhoods in sub-Saharan Africa

“…Therefore, the massive schooling campaigns at the end of the 20th century, and recently the campaigns to send girls to school, have influenced and changed the practices in northern Benin even more that in southern Benin, where schooling rates have generally been higher. ( Alber, 2012 : 180; see also Alber et al, 2010 )…”

“…With particular regard to sub-Saharan African countries, colonisation led to efforts to inculcate changes in behaviours by a powerful state apparatus which was charged with civilising indigenous populations through the introduction of a range of laws and policies. These included those that directly affected children such as education, marriage, family life, hygiene and social welfare (Aderinto, 2015; Alber et al, 2010; Spronk, 2014). While a number of policies had little effect on local populations, it must be acknowledged that some transformations in local behaviours and practices among certain sectors of indigenous populations were observed during this period, many of which affected conceptualisations of childhood and childrearing practices within these groups (Aderinto, 2015; Alber et al, 2010).…”

Women in African Marriages

“…They believe that they will be treated with respect by their spouses if expensively acquired and that it will reduce the risks of divorce, which would mean failure on investment (BBC 2015; Muthegheki et al 2012). Such perception is responsible for the increase of bride price in some quarters of the Republic of Benin (Alber et al 2010). Yet research has found that in the same Benin, married women had their choice of workplaces restricted and determined by their husbands (Falen 2008).…”