The Dynamics of Bride Price in Zimbabwe and the UK Diaspora

The tradition of Bride Price has been at the heart of marriage for many centuries in numerous cultures across the globe. The Dynamics of Bride Price presents new research data from Zimbabwe and the UK highlighting the transnational dimension of the practice, its diversity in different contexts and across generations, and its influence on the structure of gender relationships and inequalities.
The transnational element of its investigation into the institution and traditions of African marriage sets this book apart from existing study and offers its readers a nuanced and complex understanding of the perceptions and experiences of Bride Price across diverse contexts. This original contribution will be of great interest to those studying and teaching courses on Gender and Development, as well as researchers and policymakers of cultural practices.

List of Figures and Tables
Abbreviations and Glossary
Abstract
Acknowledgements

Chapter 1 Introduction
1.1 Importance of Bride Price
1.2 Justification for the Research
1.3 Reasons for My Interest in this Area of Research
1.4 Intimate Partner Violence in Zimbabwe
1.5 Book Structure
1.6 Conclusion: The Dynamics of Bride Price

Chapter 2 Approaches to Researching Bride Price
2.1 Aims and Methods
2.2 The Analytical Approach and its Theoretical Motivations
2.3 Gender
2.4 Intersectionality
2.5 The Research Approach
2.6 Semi-Structured Interviews
2.7 Ethical Issues
2.8 Research Locations
2.9 Sampling
2.10 Limitations
2.11 Self-reflexivity & Translation
2.12 Conclusion

Chapter 3 Contextualizing Bride Price: From the Global to the Local
3.1 The History of Bride Price: Where and Why it is Practised
3.2 A Comparison with Dowry
3.3 The Anthropological Literature on Bride Price
3.4 Context of Zimbabwe: the Shona and Ndebele People
3.5 Cultural Background of Marriage in Zimbabwe
3.6 Patterns of Migration within Zimbabwe
3.7 Functions of Bride Price in the Anthropological Literature
3.8 The Impact of Modernisation and Migration on Bride Price
3.9 Payment of Bride Price in Contemporary Zimbabwe
3.10 Conclusion

Chapter 4 Post-colonial Theories, the Ecology Model & Bride Price
4.1 The Post-Colonial Feminist Lens
4.2 Applying the Critiques of Narayan to Feminist Debates on Bride Price
4.3 The Social Ecology Model
4.4 Masculinity & Femininity
4.5 Linking Bride Price and Social Class
4.6 The Ecology Model and Intersectionality
4.7 Applying the Ecology Model to Bride Price in Zimbabwe
4.8 Conclusion

Chapter 5 Cultural, Religious and Gendered Dimensions of Bride Price
5.1 Participants’ Perceptions and Views on Bride Price
5.2 A Sign of Honour
5.3 The Commercialisation of Bride Price
5.4 Commodification of Women
5.5 Data and Theoretical Contradictions
5.6 Is Culture a Force for Evil?
5.7 Religion, the Bible, and Bride Price
5.8 Conclusion

Chapter 6 Comparing the Three Contexts: Bride Price and Harm
6.1 The Diaspora and Urban and Rural Families in Zimbabwe
6.2 The Practice and Logistics of Lobola
6.3 Changes in the Amount Given Over Time
6.4 Women’s Contribution to Lobola
6.5 Some Reasons for the Increase in Lobola
6.6 Bride Price & Different Forms of Harm
6.7 Connection between Bride Price and Gender Inequality
6.8 Linking Bride Price with Violence
6.9 Linking Bride Price with Class
6.10 Conclusion

Chapter 7 Conclusion: The dynamics of Bride Price
7.1 Summary of Findings
7.2 Shifting Gender Relations and Family Structures
7.3 Bride Price Across Contexts
7.4 Bride Price, Migration & Modernisation
7.5 Gender Relations at the Household Level
7.6 Policy and Practice Recommendations
7.7 Directions for Future Research
7.8 A Final Word

Bibliography
Index

Dr Ottis Mubaiwa is a Teaching Fellow in International Development Studies at the University of Portsmouth. He is a Social Anthropologist who researches violence against women and girls, gender inclusion, and the intersections of culture and development.

Bride Price, Post-colonial feminist theory, Harmful Cultural Practices, Three context research