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Kinship and Marriage in a Polyethnic Community1

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  23 January 2012

W. Arens  and
Diana Antos Arens
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Extract

Although Redfield's (1947) folk–urban continuum has been subjected to valid theoretical critiques (Miner 1952 and Mintz 1953) the tempting simplistic dichotomy this construct implies is still basic to our view of the social universe. Apparently anthropologists, like many of the groups they study, often prefer to conceptualize in dyadic terms. Thus, in an almost complete disregard for historical processes this proclivity has manifested itself in African studies by a contrast between a static ‘tribal’ hinterland opposed to a more dynamic urban domain. More recently as a mediating agent the tribal notion wound its way into African cities via a theoretical migration and re-emerged somewhat inelegantly as ‘supertribalism’ (Rouch 1956: 60), ‘urban tribalism’ (Gluckman 1960: 55) and ‘retribalization’ (Cohen 1969: 1–6). As a consequence the ‘tribe’ remains a basic conceptual category assumed applicable to both urban and rural Africa.

Résumé

PARENTÉ ET MARIAGE DANS UNE COMMUNAUTÉ POLYETHNIQUE

On examine ici un certain nombre de données réunies au cours d'une enquête portant sur la parenté et le mariage à Mto wa Mbu, une communauté rurale à culture hétérogène de Tanzanie. Ces données sont analysées afin de déterminer la signification de l'ethnicité dans le choix d'un conjoint. Les résultats sont ensuite comparés à des données du même ordre mais portant sur des centres urbains d'Afrique. Les conclusions qui se dégagent de l'analyse indiquent que l'importance présumée de la religion et d'une ethnicité commune dans le choix du conjoint doit être ré-examinée: en effet, d'autres facteurs entrent en ligne de compte, à savoir: les caractéristiques qui sont propres à une communauté et les circonstances résidentielles et maritales de l'individu.

Type
Research Article
Information
Africa , Volume 48 , Issue 2 , April 1978 , pp. 149 - 160
Copyright
Copyright © International African Institute 1978

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References

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