The Concurrent Partnerships Debate: The Contribution of Historical-Ethnography

1. The Concurrent Partnerships Debate: The Contribution of Historical-Ethnography Mark Hunter Social Science/Geography, University of Toronto mhunter@utsc.utoronto.ca

2. Concurrent Partners – Two opposing Views Sawers & Stillwaggon “It is customary to end the presentation of research with calls for still more research. This paper, however, calls for an end (or at least a moratorium) to research on sexual behaviour in Africa of the kind discussed in this article. The continued use of financial and human resources to prove Western preconceptions about African sexuality cannot be justified.” Kenyon & Zondo Academics “concoct complex socioeconomic explanations to avoid addressing cultural factors that they find awkward.”

3. Concurrent Partners – Two opposing Views Sawers & Stillwaggon “It is customary to end the presentation of research with calls for still more research. This paper, however, calls for an end (or at least a moratorium) to research on sexual behaviour in Africa of the kind discussed in this article. The continued use of financial and human resources to prove Western preconceptions about African sexuality cannot be justified.” Kenyon & Zondo Academics “concoct complex socioeconomic explanations to avoid addressing cultural factors that they find awkward.” • BUT Commonalities • “Why Africa?” Question • Presentist Bias

7. History, gender, and AIDS The Continuity Argument Polygamy AIDS ??????

8. History, Gender and AIDS The linear breakdown of sexuality argument Industrialization/apartheid AIDS ??????

9. Concurrent Partners – Two opposing Views Sawers & Stillwaggon “It is customary to end the presentation of research with calls for still more research. This paper, however, calls for an end (or at least a moratorium) to research on sexual behaviour in Africa of the kind discussed in this article. The continued use of financial and human resources to prove Western preconceptions about African sexuality cannot be justified.” Kenyon & Zondo Academics “concoct complex socioeconomic explanations to avoid addressing cultural factors that they find awkward.” Need to widen CP debate to periodize historical transformations in intimacy over the last century seeing the socioecononomic/cultural realms as co-constitutive • BUT Commonalities • “Why Africa?” Question • Presentist Bias

10. Historical-Ethnography Must go beyond sex surveys which are inherently limited in scope. We need to use social science categories that cannot be easily quantified--e.g. gender/power/love/masculinities/femininities. This includes using ethnographic methods that are able to capture the complexity of sexuality, the disjuncture between stated and actual acts (e,g, transactional sex), and the processes in which changes in sexuality are embedded. Need to widen CP debate to periodize historical transformations in intimacy over the last century seeing the socioecononomic/cultural realms as co-constitutive • BUT Commonalities • “Why Africa?” Question • Presentist Bias

11. The Changing Political Economy and Geography of Intimacy

12. The Changing Political Economy of Intimacy • ISOKA (playboy) masculinity • Sex-gift/sex-money links Explored Through

13. ISOKA 1. Late 19th Century masculinities: The umnumzana building an umuzi • Agrarian economy - the importance of women’s labor • Evidence that women could have more than one sexual partner—but non-penetrative sex • Isoka - commencement of courting

14. Isoka 2. Early 20th century: The Rise of Isoka • Migrant Labour • Reduction in polygamy • Increase influence of Christianity (“the body is the temple of God”) • Increased “double standard” in respect of multiple partners • More penetrative sex

15. Isoka 3. 1980s-: Isoka remains unmarried • Difficulty in working/marrying and obtaining umnumzana status • Less limits to isoka masculinity • Penetrative sex more common

16. Love and Money/gifts

17. Money and Sex-Links in premarital relations

18. The Changing Political Economy and Geography of Intimacy: 1. Unemployment/inequalities

19. The Changing Political Economy and Geography of Intimacy2. Reduced Marriage

20. The Changing Political Economy and Geography of Intimacy3. Women’s increased movement

21. The Changing Political Economy and Geography of Intimacy 4. Heightened Gender Tensions "ministers of finance, transport, and entertainment" "one for money, one for food, and one for rent"

22. The Changing Political Economy and Geography of Intimacy

23. Isithebe: 1981

24. Isithebe: 1989

25. Isithebe: 1999

26. THANK YOU!!