Enduring Polygamy: Plural Marriage and Social Change in an African Metropolis

by Bruce Whitehouse

Why hasn’t polygamous marriage died out in African cities, as experts once expected it would? Enduring Polygamy considers this question in one of Africa’s fastest-growing Bamako, the capital of Mali, where one in four wives is in a polygamous marriage. Using polygamy as a lens through which to survey sweeping changes in urban life, it offers ethnographic and demographic insights into the customs, gender norms and hierarchies, kinship structures, and laws affecting marriage, and situates polygamy within structures of inequality that shape marital options, especially for young Malian women. Through an approach of cultural relativism, the book offers an open-minded but unflinching perspective on a contested form of marriage. Without shying away from questions of patriarchy and women’s oppression, it presents polygamy from the everyday vantage points of Bamako residents themselves, allowing readers to make informed judgments about it and to appreciate the full spectrum of human cultural diversity.

240 pages, Paperback

Published April 14, 2023

Reviews

[Sophie · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Enduring Polygamy" explores why polygamous marriage is still common in Bamako, even as the city continues to change socially and economically. Bruce Whitehouse explains that polygamy is not simply a tradition, but a practice closely connected to money, family expectations, religion, and everyday life. By using interviews and real-life examples, Whitehouse shows how men and women experience polygamy differently, pointing out both the challenges it creates and the reasons it continues. The book also highlights how family pressure and religious expectations can play a significant role in marriage decisions.