POLYGYNY AND GENDER, the gendered narratives of adults raised in polygynous families

216pp., map, paperback, Pietermaritzburg, 2021

Dr Zamambo Mkhize on the construction of gender identity in adults raised in Zulu polygynous families in the Hammarsdale area of KwaZulu-Natal.

"With great skill Zamambo Mkhize takes the reader through the intricate process of brokering individual authority and cultural expectations and demonstrates how this culminates in hybridised gender identities. The book's uniqueness lies in underscoring how socially organising principles, such as seniority, naming and co-mothering, contribute to gender identity construction in polygynous families. The critical insights generated in this book will no doubt increase our understanding of gender dynamics in an African context." Janet Muthuki, Gender Studies Programme, University of KwaZulu-Natal

Dr Zamambo Mhikze is a lecturer in Gender Studies at the African Gender Institute, University of Cape Town.