Coparcenary

• A Critical Evaluation of Attitudes Towards Nuclear, Joint and Extended Family Structures Among People of Indian Origin in Durban, South Africa*

This reflexive paper is based on research that was carried out between November 2006 and January 2007 among people of Indian origin now living in Durban-a metropolis situated on the east coast of South Africa. Its intention is to compare the evidence that was gathered during this period with research that was done during the decades of the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s on attitudes towards family and household living arrangements among Indians in this city. Against the various sets of information that are discussed here, I arrive at the conclusion that much of the research on the attitudes towards Indian joint and extended families over the last three decades has failed to produce a convincing perspective about this aspect. Their problem lay with two issues viz. the adoption of the social evol...

... stabilize conjugal relationships and coparcenary living arrangements to normalize family living. Th...

• Journal of Comparative Family Studies
• Vol. 39 Nbr. 4, October 2008