Abstract
Good social research is usually informed by theory. In this chapter, Gwenzi draws from both classical and contemporary sociological theories of family to inform the study on the social construction of family by adolescents and youths in child welfare institutions in Zimbabwe. The chapter discusses how social constructionism and symbolic interactionism can be used to make sense of who and what is family for young people growing up outside of biological family care in Zimbabwe. In contemporary sociological studies of family, Morgan’s (1996) family practices and Finch’s family display concepts provided a way to understand diverse family structures and meanings. Additionally, the study which is conducted in an African setting also necessitated the use of two Afrocentric theories: ukama and Ubuntu, which explain African social relations.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Title of host publication | Palgrave Macmillan Studies in Family and Intimate Life |
| Publisher | Palgrave Macmillan |
| Pages | 35-53 |
| Number of pages | 19 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 2023 |
Publication series
| Name | Palgrave Macmillan Studies in Family and Intimate Life |
|---|---|
| ISSN (Print) | 2731-6440 |
| ISSN (Electronic) | 2731-6459 |
UN SDGs
This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
-
SDG 16 Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Gender Studies
- Sociology and Political Science
- Social Sciences (miscellaneous)
- Life-span and Life-course Studies
Fingerprint
Dive into the research topics of 'Theorising Family Meanings'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.Cite this
- APA
- Author
- BIBTEX
- Harvard
- Standard
- RIS
- Vancouver