The papers in the volume are designed to contribute to ongoing debates about changing patterns of gender, household and family relations in Tanzanian society. In particular, they aim to extend understanding of the nature and structure of households and the interrelationships between household organization and gender relations ; the coping strategies of households (especially those of the poor, or those coping with AIDS) in the face of economic crisis and restructuring; and the implications of these responses for the position of women. The book is divided into three parts: contextual studies (2 papers); gender and the household (5 papers); and gender, family and society (5 papers). - Verlagsangaben.

This title was first published in 2000. The essays in this volume explore the changing nature of family and gender relations in contemporary Tanzania. Particular attention is paid to the social construction of marriage and to the interplay of family life and gender relations with economic processes and forms of work. Many of the papers are based upon recent ethnographic and survey research; others provide a much needed historical perspective upon the change in family patterns and upon the ways in which gender and family relations are shaped by, and in turn help to shape, wider social institutions and processes.

This study focuses on women living in Dar es Salaam who have higher incomes than their husbands. The research exposes the social construction of gender in everyday life, pointing to the contradictory nature of gender relations in a dynamic urban and social context in a developing country, which is continually transforming itself. The study contests that gender determinants are some of the most crucial factors to an understanding not only of the social and political tissue of the urban environment in question, but also of the urbanisation process itself in Africa which though still in an exponential phase, is one of the most crucial development issues of our time. The voices of individual women and men from different social classes are included, as well as institutional viewpoints.

This study is meant to improve the understanding of the contrasting livelihood strategies employed by female-headed households compared to those of male-headed household, in which the definition of the concepts used and the combination of the different methodologies have to result in clear-cut conclusions about the level of economic well-being of female-headed households.

The SIGI Country Report for Tanzania provides a new evidence base to improve the rights and well-being of women and girls in Tanzania and promote gender equality through the elimination of discrimination in social institutions. It builds on the newly collected data – both quantitative and qualitative – on social norms and practices through a rigorous methodology and participatory approach involving a wide range of national and international stakeholders.