Pertinent ills concomitant with matrifocality in Zimbabwe : implications for development

Objective: The paper explored the challenges underpinning matrifocality in Zimbabwe, what is normally termed single motherhood. With the marital institution losing eminence in Africa due to a myriad of factors such as globalization, industrialization, and eurocentrism; this has greatly altered today...

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Main Author: Mafa, Itai
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Innovare Academic Sciences 2021
Subjects:
Online Access:https://innovareacademics.in/journals/index.php/ijss/article/view/40762
https://doi.org/10.22159/ijss.2021.v9i2.40762
http://hdl.handle.net/11408/4480
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author Mafa, Itai
author_facet Mafa, Itai
author_sort Mafa, Itai
collection DSpace
description Objective: The paper explored the challenges underpinning matrifocality in Zimbabwe, what is normally termed single motherhood. With the marital institution losing eminence in Africa due to a myriad of factors such as globalization, industrialization, and eurocentrism; this has greatly altered today’s family structure. The study was anchored on the realization that the traditional composition of an African family which recognized extended families has now been overshadowed by the surfacing of nuclear families as well as an increase in matrifocal families. Methods: The article utilized a qualitative approach and a case study design. Convenience sampling was used to select 16 single mothers and a purposive sampling method was preferred to sample three key informants. For single mothers, in a mini-depth interviews were used to elicit detailed information and focus group discussion was adopted for key informants. Data were analyzed using the thematic process to integrate the findings. Results: Stress-induced pathologies, relational conflict within the family set-up, economic privations, communal cynicism, and ostracism were identified as challenges compromising the development and stability of matrifocal families in Chiredzi district. Conclusions: Guided by various feminism lenses and the ecological perspective, the article shifts from the pathological view to single motherhood, advocating for the need to focus the dialogue along the challenges faced by matrifocal families in an attempt to recommend interventions that can strengthen this family set-up.
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spelling ir-11408-44802022-06-27T13:49:06Z Pertinent ills concomitant with matrifocality in Zimbabwe : implications for development Mafa, Itai Matrifocality Challenges Development Zimbabwe Objective: The paper explored the challenges underpinning matrifocality in Zimbabwe, what is normally termed single motherhood. With the marital institution losing eminence in Africa due to a myriad of factors such as globalization, industrialization, and eurocentrism; this has greatly altered today’s family structure. The study was anchored on the realization that the traditional composition of an African family which recognized extended families has now been overshadowed by the surfacing of nuclear families as well as an increase in matrifocal families. Methods: The article utilized a qualitative approach and a case study design. Convenience sampling was used to select 16 single mothers and a purposive sampling method was preferred to sample three key informants. For single mothers, in a mini-depth interviews were used to elicit detailed information and focus group discussion was adopted for key informants. Data were analyzed using the thematic process to integrate the findings. Results: Stress-induced pathologies, relational conflict within the family set-up, economic privations, communal cynicism, and ostracism were identified as challenges compromising the development and stability of matrifocal families in Chiredzi district. Conclusions: Guided by various feminism lenses and the ecological perspective, the article shifts from the pathological view to single motherhood, advocating for the need to focus the dialogue along the challenges faced by matrifocal families in an attempt to recommend interventions that can strengthen this family set-up. 2021-08-02T07:49:02Z 2021-08-02T07:49:02Z 2021 Article 2347-5544 https://innovareacademics.in/journals/index.php/ijss/article/view/40762 https://doi.org/10.22159/ijss.2021.v9i2.40762 http://hdl.handle.net/11408/4480 en Innovare Journal of Social Sciences;Vol. 9; No. 2: p. 10-15 open Innovare Academic Sciences
spellingShingle Matrifocality
Challenges
Development
Zimbabwe
Mafa, Itai
Pertinent ills concomitant with matrifocality in Zimbabwe : implications for development
title Pertinent ills concomitant with matrifocality in Zimbabwe : implications for development
title_full Pertinent ills concomitant with matrifocality in Zimbabwe : implications for development
title_fullStr Pertinent ills concomitant with matrifocality in Zimbabwe : implications for development
title_full_unstemmed Pertinent ills concomitant with matrifocality in Zimbabwe : implications for development
title_short Pertinent ills concomitant with matrifocality in Zimbabwe : implications for development
title_sort pertinent ills concomitant with matrifocality in zimbabwe : implications for development
topic Matrifocality
Challenges
Development
Zimbabwe
url https://innovareacademics.in/journals/index.php/ijss/article/view/40762
https://doi.org/10.22159/ijss.2021.v9i2.40762
http://hdl.handle.net/11408/4480
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