Influence of urbanization on the role and status of husband and wife in the Tswana family

Abstract

Abstract The aim of this study was to establish whether any significant difference existed in the, family structure and function, in terms of the role and status of husband and wife, between rural and urban Tswana families. The study is based on the assumption that as a result of the modernizing influence of urbanization on the traditional role and status of husband and wife in the Tswana family there should be a difference in structure and function between rural and urban Tswana families. I conclude that a real difference does exist in the family structure and function, in terms of the role and status of husband and wife, between rural and urban Tswana families. In this regard urbanization and concomitant modernizing agents such as formal education seem to have changed the traditional subordinate-superordinate relationship between husband and wife into a partnership of equals in which the partners share their life responsibilities and major decision-making in consultation. When viewed against Parsons int...