Master Thesis)), International Institute of Social Studies, the Hague, Netherlands
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
‘I FEEL PROUD, HONORED AND VALUED’ - CHANGING TRENDS, EMPOWERING AND DISEMPOWERING ASPECTS OF BRIDE PRICE AMONG URBAN BASED BAGANDA OF CENTRAL UGANDA SARAH MUSUBIKA Master of Philosophy in Global Development Theory and Practice Specialization: Gender in Global Development Spring 2019 Faculty of Psychology Department of Health Promotion and Development ACKNOWLEDGEMENT All thanks to the almighty God for granting me wisdom and knowledge that enabled me write this thesis. His mercies are new every morning. My most profound gratitude goes to my supervisor Siri Lange for your valuable comments, suggestions and guidance all through from proposal writing to writing of the thesis. Working with you has been a pleasure and an honor. Thank you for trusting my academic abilities and respecting my opinions which gave me so much hope and confidence. Siri, you are the best supervisor I have ever had in my academic journey: thank you for always finding time to attend to me amidst your busy schedule. My sincere thanks also go to all lecturers at HEML who taught and guided me all through the two years of my master studies. Special thanks go to my course mates GLODE 2017 cohort for the support and constructive criticism and feedback during class presentation, group work and discussions. Your comments helped me improve not only academically, but also my interpersonal skills while in a multi-cultural environment: I learnt to appreciate and tolerate difference. Heartfelt gratitude goes to all participants in this study, without your willingness to share your experiences; this study would not have yielded. May God richly bless you. Finally, special thanks go to my family especially my husband Simon Bogere, daughter Joanna, sons Joel and Joram, for all the love and emotional support rendered to me. Even the geographical distance would not break it. I love you dearly. Sarah Musubika May, 2019 Bergen Norway Cover photo: A cross section of bride price items given by Emmanuel in 2014. i TABLE OF CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGEMENT ........................................................................................................... i TABLE OF CONTENTS ........................................................................................................... ii LIST OF TABLES ......................................................................................................................v LIST OF PHOTOGRAPHS.........................................................................................................v LIST OF FIGURES ....................................................................................................................v LIST OF ACROYNMS ...............................................................................................................v LIST OF TERMINOLOGIES ................................................................................................... vi ABSTRACT ............................................................................................................................ vii CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND ................................................1 1.1 Introduction to the study ....................................................................................................1 1.2 Background to the study ....................................................................................................2 1.2.1 A brief ethnography of the Baganda ............................................................................2 1.3 Customary marriages in Uganda ........................................................................................3 1.4 Problem statement .............................................................................................................3 1.5 Research objectives............................................................................................................4 1.6 Purpose of the study ...........................................................................................................4 1.7 Structure of the thesis.........................................................................................................5 CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW ..........................................................................6 2.1 Empirical and theoretical literature on bride price ..............................................................6 2.2 Bride price in contemporary times .....................................................................................7 2.3 Modernization and the persistence of traditional values ......................................................7 2.4 Differing perceptions about bride price in Uganda .............................................................9 CHAPTER THREE: THEORETICAL AND CONCEPTUAL PERSPECTIVES .............. 10 3.1 Gender: A category of analysis ........................................................................................ 10 3.2 Empowerment and gender relations ................................................................................. 12 3.3 Masculinities/ Femininities .............................................................................................. 13 CHAPTER FOUR: METHODOLOGY ................................................................................. 15 4.1 Epistemological approach ................................................................................................ 15 4.2 Research design ............................................................................................................... 15 4.3 Study Area ....................................................................................................................... 16 4.4 Recruitment of Participants .............................................................................................. 17 ii 4.5 Methods of data collection ............................................................................................... 19 4.5.1 In-depth interviews .................................................................................................... 19 4.5.2 Focus group discussion .............................................................................................. 20 4.5.3 Informal conservations and observations ................................................................... 21 4.5.4 Photo viewing and interpretation ............................................................................... 22 4.5.5 Secondary data sources .............................................................................................. 22 4.6 Ethical Considerations ..................................................................................................... 22 4.7 Trustworthiness of Research ............................................................................................ 23 4.8 Role of the Researcher, Reflexivity and challenges encountered ...................................... 24 4.8.1 My personal experience with bride price ................................................................... 24 4.8.2 Reflexivity ................................................................................................................ 25 4.8.3 Challenges encountered ............................................................................................. 27 4.9 Data management and analysis ........................................................................................ 29 CHAPTER FIVE: HISTORICAL CHANGES IN MARRIAGE AND BRIDE PRICE INSTITUTION AMONG THE BAGANDA .......................................................................... 31 5.1 Introduction ..................................................................................................................... 31 5.2 A history of the marriage institution among the Baganda ................................................. 31 5.2.1 Pre-colonial (before 1894) and colonial (1894-1962) periods ..................................... 31 5.2.2 Post-colonial era: 1962 to date ................................................................................... 38 5.3 A closer look at changes in the bride price institution in contemporary times ................... 44 CHAPTER SIX: INSPIRATIONS OF CONTEMPORARY TRENDS IN BRIDE PRICE 49 6.1 The advent of event management companies ................................................................... 49 6.2 Bureaucratization of the tradition ..................................................................................... 50 6.3 Competition and Bandwagon Effect ................................................................................. 51 6.4 Desperacy and desire for elevated social status and recognition ....................................... 52 6.5 Influence of Religion ....................................................................................................... 54 6.6 Influence of the media on the marriage institution ............................................................ 57 6.7 Materialism, opportunism and compromised parental responsibilities .............................. 58 6.8 Change in peoples‟ perceptions of love and marriage as an institution.............................. 59 6.9 Influence of formal education on the bride price tradition ................................................ 59 6.10 Diminishing family ties and increasing individualism .................................................... 62 iii CHAPTER SEVEN: BRIDE PRICE, GENDER RELATIONS AND (DIS) EMPOWERMENT ................................................................................................................