Affines and Spouses, Friends and Lovers: The Passing of Polygny in Botswana

In this paper I argue that the passing of polygyny among the Bakgalagadi of Botswana not only reflects past socioeconomic change but also must itself be considered as a force of change. As such it provides a clue to the process whereby the social domains governed by the rules of reciprocity and kinship become circumscribed. This paper moves beyond the existing work on the topic for Sotho-Tswana peoples by exploring both the causes and consequences of the transition to monogamy, by looking at the issue from both the male and female points of view, and by considering both an individual and societal perspective. This approach reveals the tension between personal preferences and structural constraints which often accompanies changing marital arrangements.