UNITED STATES INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY

PSY 1110

Spring Semester 2009

Lecturer: Emily Ogutu

TERM PAPER: RESEARCH PAPER

Student: Miriam Rubino de Rinck ID 625746

August 11, 2009

MODERN AND PLURAL: PERCEPTIONS OF POLYGAMY
WITHIN THE NAIROBI’S COLLEGE STUDENTS
POPULATION

BY M. RUBINO DE RINCK
UNITED STATES INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY
Research paper commissioned as a term paper for ENG2006 course

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION 4

BACKGROUND. 4
LITERATURE REVIEW. 4
HYPOTHESIS. 5
OPERATIONAL DEFINITIONS. 6
FRUITFULNESS. 6

METHODS 7

TARGET POPULATION. 7
LOCATION. 7
PROCEDURE. 7

DISCUSSION 7

CONCLUSION 10

REFERENCES 11

APPENDIX 13

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INTRODUCTION

Background.
My previous study in Sexual Lifestyles (Rubino de Rinck, 2008) cited Kathy Gaca suggesting that
sexual morality in modern culture has been the result of shaping by early Greek and Christian postures
toward sex. Foucault also suggested that later in European history, Christian canonical and pastoral
pronouncements played a primary role in defining appropriate sexual practices. (Rubino de Rinck,
Sexual Lifestyles, 2008). This is a system of thought that applies to what is called the Western world,
where it has been proved that religion plays an important role in the determination of whether it is
acceptable for a culture to partake in polygamy.
Pierre Lemieux (2009) argued in the Western Standard that there are the socio-biological reasons why
men and women had been attracted to polygamy throughout history, what is not entirely known is if
polygamy compatible with modern society.
Lemieux argue that if polygamy were not compatible with modern society, it would disappear or will be
practiced only by tiny minorities.

In an African context, polygamy has been identified as a traditional or tribal practice that has dwindled
over the years with the advent of Colonialism and the introduction of Christianity. Hunt (1991) have
sustained that colonial morality and practices and the introduction of Christianity in Africa had an impact
on how polygamy is perceived today. As an example she cited the case of colonial power in Congo,
which introduced a taxation system to punish polygamy and to make the colony to pay for itself, to the
point of sustaining a campaign of ‘liberation’ of women from polygamous marriages.
In a similar spirit, Konye (2009) claimed that polygamy had fulfilled specific functions in rural areas: “it
makes hunting more efficiently conducted, cattle rearing is better organized, food production is
enhanced.” In addition, polygamy has been tied to the “symbolism of having many children, the display
of status, and in certain contexts just complying with tradition.” (Konye, 2009)

Literature review.
Previous literature of polygamy in Africa, such as that of Marris (1961) suggested that young Africans
want to create romantic relationships based on Western lines. Evidence of this idea comes from
interviews measuring attitudes of students in diverse locations such as West Africa (Sierra Leone, Ghana
and Senegal) and Uganda.
In a study done in Sierra Leone (Herrel-Bond, 1976), for example, polygamy was compared to the
“western’ practice of monogamous marriage, and most respondents said they preferred the latest.
“Polygamy was thought to lead to unequal treatment of children, jealousy, and bad relations between co-
wives and siblings” In the same study, both students and professionals agreed that African society is
polygamous, and respondents viewed this practice as opposed to the monogamy of western marriages.

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Herrel-Bond asserted, “ traditionally, polygamy was condoned, and with the advent of Christianity and
education, high value was attached to monogamy”.
Other researchers (Kisekka, 2008), claim that younger African adults disapprove of extra-marital
relationships (87%), and than modern men “favor monogamy partly because for most of the
educated class it is the socially approved form of marriage” (Price and Little, p. 414). In countries like
Senegal, monogamy has been correlated with higher levels of education, that is to say, monogamy
increases as educational standards improve (Bird, in Price and Little)

Similar studies like that of Omari (1960) described students perceptions of polygamy as “a backward
practice that must be discouraged” while 23% of the surveyed said that “while polygamy is not such a
good practice, people that want to practice should be allowed to do it”. (Omari, p. 202)
Another research of students attitudes on polygamy, done by Omari, cites that 73% of the surveyed
Ghanaian students believed that ' polygamy is definitely a backward practice which must be discouraged'
(Ibid).

Many of the focus of studies done on polygamy practices have been Africa-wide, and some of them even
on Kenyan sexual attitudes, especially in the rural areas. However, these studies date from the 1970s and
1980s, and do not focus on the attitudes of the young generations living in the cities. In addition, Welch
and Glick claim that contemporary polygamy in Africa has been largely ignore with few exceptions. And
those studies had focused on statistics of polygamy practiced by men (specifically the practice of
polygyny).

Limitations.
As of my knowledge, there have been a small number studies on polygamy tested in student populations,
in Kenya or Africa. Some limitations of previous studies had to do with the fact that:
- Previous research focused on polygamy views and practices of older adults and rural settings.
- Research was done in Kenya was minimal and did not focus particularly on views of polygamy,
but on general sexual attitudes.
- Studies on polygamy focused only on polygyny and did not take into account other types of
polygamist practices
- Data is outdated. Data from Welch and Glick (1981), for example, goes back to 1974-1975.
Their surveys cite some statistics of polygamy -polygyny- in Kenya as follows: polyginist per
100 married men 20.4.

Previous research on Kenyan attitudes toward polygamy noted that the popularity of the practice is
firmly attached to the assertion of African culture, and the protections and regulations supported in
traditional African societies.

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Hypothesis.
The aim for this research is to study the perceptions of polygamy as expressed by a representative
segment of the young generation in the city of Nairobi (Kenya’s capital), namely, the universities
student’s population.
Based on previous evidence on the subject, which claimed that African polygamist practices are
intimately tied to the rural domain, serving specific purposes at certain points of cultural history, I
predict that younger generations may have a different idea about polygamy from those of their parents
and that education and city /urban living can be accounted for catalysts in this change.

Operational definitions.
Polygamy is defined by the New Oxford American Dictionary as “the practice or custom of having more
than one spouse at the same time”.
This is the marriage to more than one spouse. It is a unilateral type of marriage whereby one spouse only
has access to each of the spouses –of the other gender-. Polygamous marriages require a more advance
economic base (a bigger family must be sustained), and it can be considered a double standard practice,
since what is right for one spouse, it is not right for the other.
In the African context, the most common practiced form of polygamy is Polyginy, the marriage of one
husband to more than one wife (Rubino de Rinck, 2008)

Fruitfulness.
It is hoped that this study will provide news aspect to be taken into account when discussing the reasons
of perceptions of polygamy in Kenya, specifically the ties of polygamy to the modern society developed
in Nairobi.
In addition, a goal of this study is to present other researchers with the opportunity for replication under
different settings (such as comparisons between different educational levels of the respondents) and to
pretest the quantification of educational impact on the young people’s perceptions of polygamy.
Further research can contemplate variance in responses within different cities and rural centers in a
countrywide initiative.
Polygamy is an issue that relates to variety of debates that yet need to be addressed in the country.
Health organizations could use the results of this study to target more vulnerable populations where
polygamy could pose another threat to survival, such as in high-risk HIV/ AIDS populations, through the
introduction of educational programs within Voluntary Counseling and Testing (VCT) centers.

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METHODS
Target population.
Target populations for this study were college students in the city of Nairobi, randomly selected from
both undergraduate and graduate level. Two samples were collected at two major universities.
Location.
Classrooms at USIU-A and University of Nairobi (city center campus) in the city of Nairobi, Kenya
were chosen location of the survey.
Sampling.
Samples were taken from two students populations within the city of Nairobi: United States International
University (USIU-A) and University of Nairobi(Campus). The method of sampling used was stratified
random sampling. Subjects included 64 Males, 58 Females. (N= 129)
Although recruitment aim was N=150, many questionnaires have to be discarded for lack of complete
information.
Procedure.
Informed Consent. Students were presented with the questionnaire and it was explained to them the
purpose of it. The questionnaire was designed so as to protect the privacy of the respondents.
Materials and Measures. Students were presented with the Students’ Perceptions of Polygamy
Questionnaire (designed by Miriam Rubino de Rinck, July, 2009), and statistical procedures were used
to measure responses.

DISCUSSION

The survey measured Nairobi’s student’s perceptions towards polygamy. Of a total sample of 129
students, 39% belonged to University of Nairobi and 60% to United States International University
(USIU-A). Of the total of respondents, 44.9% were females, 44.9% were males. (10.2% did not answer).
Civil status was established as follows: Singles 83.7%, Married 15.5% and others 8%. Of those, subjects
currently in a relationship, 38%, and Not in a relationship, 55.8 %. Age group surveyed: 51.1% of
respondents fell into the age group 21-24.

Table 1. Demographics. Number of students per category

UON USIU Males Females Single Married In a relationship Not in a relationship
51 78 64 58 108 20 50 72

Table 1.2 Age Groups. Number of students per age group

Under 17 17-20 21-24 25-28 29-32 33-36 37-40 Over 40

4 20 66 16 12 2 0 2

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DISCUSSION

ON POLYGAMY.

In a multi-optional question, the single major type of polygamy students reported to be aware of was
Polygyny (one husband marrying many wives) with 80.6% (104 subjects) reports. This corroborates
evidence from precious literature that claims that this is the most common form of polygamy in Africa.
Other types of polygamy students were aware of included Open Marriage (a married couple agree to
have extramarital relationships on their own) 49.6%, Open Relationship (same as before, only partners
are not married) 58.9% and Polyandry (one woman/wife- many men/ husbands) 50.3%.

PERCEPTIONS.
Student’s perceptions of polygamy were self-reported as mostly neutral (34.8% of respondents);
followed by Very Negative ratings (30%) and Negative ones for 26.3% of the sample. Only 1.5% of
respondents perceived polygamy as Very Positive.
Most respondents believe Polygamy is Promiscuous (52.7 % of them). However, despite these results,
44.9% of respondents agreed that Polygamy could make contributions to the modern marriage.
A large number of students further stated that “There is nothing wrong with Polygamy as long as both
partners agree to it” (52.7%)

PRACTICES.
Out of 129 subjects included in the sample, 44 respondents acknowledged to have practiced or currently
practice polygamy, from which 17% had practiced at some point in their lives and 15.5 % practices it
currently. The two most popular types of polygamy practiced included Open Relationship and Polygyny.
As per the reasons why they practice polygamy, three major mentions involved: Curiosity/
Experimentation (58.3 %), Tradition (8.3%) and Personal Beliefs (33.3%).
Subject not practicing polygamy reported as their reasons: being ‘Not Interested’ (40%) and ‘Against
my Beliefs’ (54.2%), from which Religious beliefs added to 50% and Tribal Beliefs to 3.5%. Other
explanations offered stated “too involving”, “too tiring”, “I consider myself civilized”, “even if I have a
chance I would not go for it”.

HAVE PARENTS INFLUENCED THEIR VIEWS?

18.6% of subjects reported parents had practiced polygamy, and 10 .75% of them still practice it. The
two reported types of polygamy practiced by parents were Polygyny and Open Relationship.
This survey found that 60.4% of parents never discussed polygamy with their children, and 37.2% had
actually advised against it.

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POLYGAMY AND MODERN LIFE.
62.7% of respondents agreed to the statement that polygamy is a traditional African practice, echoing
another 20.1% of the sample’s opinion of as Polygamy ‘not having a role in modern city life’ (“it’s a
thing from the past”), and contrasting the views of only 13.9% that considered it to be a modern practice
within an African context.

DOES POLYGAMY SERVE A SOCIAL PURPOSE?

24.8% of respondents believed so. Amongst others, “No need to have mistresses/secret concubines”,
“because there are less men and more women”, “it is a sign that one is still in touch with their
roots/culture”, “it avoids promiscuity”, its purpose is a ‘legal’ sexual activity with as many people as
you can”, “it is a source of wealth”, and “it brings satisfaction” were some of the most frequent
explanations.

In contrast, 23.2% of respondents considered Polygamy as to have served a purpose in the past, but not
in the present situation. Statements such as “too many discussions and emotional issues”, “…back then
it was a way of life and men with more than one wife were highly regarded, this is not the case
nowadays”, “it was a sign of prestige and it got rid of childlessness”, “it was done to show a man's
wealth and prestige”, “culture changes” show a wide variety of social issues connected to Polygamy
that student regard as anachronic.

Polygamy is believed to make some contributions both positive and negative to the modern idea
of marriage. Subjects reported that Polygamy will bring: More Problems (51.1%), More
Honesty (21.7%), More Fun (15.5%), More Jealousy (37.2 %), More Happiness (9.3%), and It
will destroy marriage institution (46.5%)

When asked how would they compare their own views about polygamy in relation to those of
their parents, 37.2 % thought of their own views as More Negative, 48% as Similar, and 7.75%
as More Positive.

Finally, the questionnaire posed the question: “Do you believe that education levels have an impact in
people’s perceptions and practice of polygamy? 69.9 % of respondents affirmed that education levels
have an impact on perceptions and practice of polygamy. Some examples of their reasoning include the
following statements: (through education)…“one gets to learn about diseases and morality”, “one can
learn about the pros and cons (of polygamy), like avoiding promiscuity and transmission of disease”,
“these days people are brainwashed by so-called education…”
(education)… “creates open-mindedness” “they have changed people to practice monogamy and to
respect the institution of marriage”, “the less education, the more people can manipulate your
decisions”, “educated people do not prefer polygamy, they are aware of the effects of such practices”.

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Alternatively, 27.9% of the respondents of this survey claimed that education levels have no impact on
people’s attitudes and perceptions on polygamy, citing among others: “ideologies are institutionalized
and it takes decades to change”, “(Polygamy)… is a choice one takes regarding your morals, and
morals are not taught in college”, “even those educated ones still practice polygamy big time, e.g. the
president” ,“I believe polygamy is a social issue rather than an educational issue. It is also against the
law”, “I guess it is more about ignorance (than about education). If a person is self-reliant they wouldn't
be too attached and would not resort to polygamy”, “depending on the school of though one got their
education in. If one was educated in ways of polygamy, the only objection could be pragmatic. If one
was educated in the Christian way, there is a moral objection”.

CONCLUSIONS
Polygamy in Africa is considered a traditional practice that responds to socio-historical contexts related
to religion and tribal customs. Many researcher had acknowledged the impact that education, colonialism
and Christianity had on African’s views of polygamy in several locations.
This study highlighted some issues of interest related to the self-reported perceptions of young people in
Nairobi. Some contradictions have been noticed, such as the highly negative ratings (in the range of
approximately 95 %) that polygamy received, and the fact that between 17% and of respondents had
practiced at some point or stills practices it. This denotes an ambivalence of moral reasoning that is
further linked to students statements such as ‘there is nothing wrong with polygamy’ as longs as the
parties involved agree to it, a view that conflict with other measures of the study where majority of
students claimed that Polygamy is a promiscuous practice. This inconsistency may highlight
reconciliatory effort to blend both traditional African practices and more modern Christian and/ or
Western principles.
Results of this study had shown that students believe that education levels do have an impact on the way
people perceive and act out polygamy. These results corroborate previous findings discussed in the
literature review section.
In addition, polygamous relationships, since they are seen as promiscuous, are blamed for helping spread
HIV/ AIDS.
Finally, as predicted in the hypothesis, students perceptions of polygamy differed from those of their
parents, with 48% of them reporting more negative attitudes than their previous generation.

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APPENDIX

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