Book

Women and marriage in Kpelle society

Stanford University PressStanford, Calif. • Published In 1980 • Pages:

By: Bledsoe, Caroline H..

Abstract
This book examines the ways in which economic and political opportunities for men and women influence marriage patterns among the Kpelle. The author describes what she dubs a 'wealth in people' system, which binds people to their status superiors in ties of marriage, clientship, and filial obligation, and shows how the Kpelle manipulate the system to their own personal advantage, trying to sever their ties with superiors while at the same time attempting to keep subordinates bound to them through ties of obligation. Substantial quantitative data on Kpelle marriage and divorce is included, most of which is summarized in table in the appendix, pp. 193-202.
Subjects
Basis of marriage
Mode of marriage
Mode of marriage
Gender status
Social relationships and groups
Sodalities
Kin relationships
Lineages
Household
culture
Kpelle
HRAF PubDate
2009
Region
Africa
Sub Region
Western Africa
Document Type
Book
Evaluation
Creator Type
Ethnographer
Document Rating
5: Excellent Primary Data
Analyst
David Sherwood ; 1984
Field Date
1973-1978
Coverage Date
1900-1980
Coverage Place
Liberia
Notes
Caroline H. Bledsoe
A revision of the author's thesis, Stanford University
Includes bibliographical references (p. [203]-212)and index
LCCN
78066170
LCSH
Kpelle (African people)--Marriage customs and rites/Kpelle (African people)--Economic conditions/Kpelle (African people)--Social conditions