(Re)constructing the African notion of girls' readiness for marriage: insights from rural Malawi
type: CreativeWork
description: This ethnographic study is concerned with examining how communities in Chauma of Dedza district in Malawi construct “girls' readiness for marriage” as the immediate lens through which child marriage can be understood. The social label of girls' readiness for marriage refers to the complex constructions of notions of girlhood and girls' sexuality, conscious and subconscious, that define the maturity of girls to enter marital arrangements. The choice of exploring the social construction of “girls' readiness for marriage” is odd, as it may be mistakenly assumed obvious and unnecessary. However, this choice places emphasis on the process itself – that of ‘becoming ready for marriage', one of the ways of understanding marriage decisions for young girls. And yet, this phenomenon has not received much scholarly attention in recent times. In this study, I adopt a social constructionist perspective to question and challenge how communities have constructed and reproduced notions of girls' readiness for marriage. The study argues that girls' readiness for marriage is a complex construction that is informed by interrelated and yet, exclusive, conceptualisations. It is crystalised by multiple, intertwined, politicised and, sometimes, contradictory, motifs, created by girls themselves and by other actors around them. These constructions are multiple layered and centrally revolve on the formulation and maintenance of traditions. The first layer in these constructions is a dyad of pull forces that shape and influence girls' readiness for marriage. One part of these largely constitutes customary and religious traditions, which not only define girls who are ready for marriage, but also influence the acceptance of girls' maturity for marriage. The other part comprises the symbiotic relationship between traditions and the power of traditional authorities. Perched at the fulcrum of maintaining the institution of chiefship are gendered and sexuality-based traditions, which are used to l…
abstract: This ethnographic study is concerned with examining how communities in Chauma of Dedza district in Malawi construct “girls' readiness for marriage” as the immediate lens through which child marriage can be understood. The social label of girls' readiness for marriage refers to the complex constructions of notions of girlhood and girls' sexuality, conscious and subconscious, that define the maturity of girls to enter marital arrangements. The choice of exploring the social construction of “girls' readiness for marriage” is odd, as it may be mistakenly assumed obvious and unnecessary. However, this choice places emphasis on the process itself – that of ‘becoming ready for marriage', one of the ways of understanding marriage decisions for young girls. And yet, this phenomenon has not received much scholarly attention in recent times. In this study, I adopt a social constructionist perspective to question and challenge how communities have constructed and reproduced notions of girls' readiness for marriage. The study argues that girls' readiness for marriage is a complex construction that is informed by interrelated and yet, exclusive, conceptualisations. It is crystalised by multiple, intertwined, politicised and, sometimes, contradictory, motifs, created by girls themselves and by other actors around them. These constructions are multiple layered and centrally revolve on the formulation and maintenance of traditions. The first layer in these constructions is a dyad of pull forces that shape and influence girls' readiness for marriage. One part of these largely constitutes customary and religious traditions, which not only define girls who are ready for marriage, but also influence the acceptance of girls' maturity for marriage. The other part comprises the symbiotic relationship between traditions and the power of traditional authorities. Perched at the fulcrum of maintaining the institution of chiefship are gendered and sexuality-based traditions, which are used to l…
author: Kamwendo Naphambo, Emmily
keywords: Sociology
date modified: 2026-07-22T22:23:30Z
provider: University of Cape Town
publisher: Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations
type: WebPage
source organization: Department of Sociology

PropertyValue
property ID: Handle
value: http://hdl.handle.net/11427/33775