'We Don't Have This Is Mine and This Is His': Managing Money and The Character of Conjugality in Kenya. Issue 5 (4th May 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Johnson, Susan
• Is Part Of: Journal of development studies. Volume 53:Issue 5(2017)
• Page Start: 755
• Page End: 768
• Publication Date: 2017-05-04
• Subjects: Economic development -- Periodicals; Economic history -- 1945- -- Periodicals; Developing countries -- Economic conditions -- Periodicals; Développement économique -- Périodiques; Histoire économique -- 1945- -- Périodiques; Pays en voie de développement -- Conditions économiques -- Périodiques; 338.91
• DOI: 10.1080/00220388.2016.1205729
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0022-0388

Abstract

Abstract: In the context of calls for more nuanced understanding of marriage as a dynamic institution, this paper addresses a gap in the literature on intra-household financial management. It examines financial management systems and levels of cooperation among 51 married couples in Kenya. It first presents a typology of intra-household financial management arrangements and then examines how this relates to the nature of cooperation between couples. It reveals a wide spectrum of cooperation which highlights the neglected case of strong cooperation, which is found to be more frequent among younger couples. There is some evidence that this is the result of changing ideologies towards companionate marriage but there is also evidence of life-cycle influences which result in declining cooperation over time.