Out of Sight, out of Mind? Lineage and Inter-Generational Family Ties in Ghana

Jan Graef , European University Institute

An extensive body of anthropological research has documented the importance of lineage systems in structuring inheritance, residence, and kin obligations across Sub-Saharan Africa. In Ghana, the coexistence of both patrilineal and matrilineal systems with corresponding postmarital residence rules (matrilocal and patrilocal, respectively) has been argued to result in different configurations of inter-generational proximity. However, existing insights into the structuring role of lineage systems with respect to inter-generational relationships are largely based on dated ethnographic accounts, and little is known about their relevance for contemporary family life in the context of alleged trends towards family nuclearization and weakening inter-generational ties. In this study, I examine whether lineage systems as longstanding informal institutions continue to structure patterns of inter-generational relationships in contemporary Ghana. To this end, I use recent nationally representative data to document the relationships that young couples belonging to different lineages maintain with their non-coresident parents in terms of residential proximity and contact frequency. By capturing family ties with non-resident relatives, I overcome a key limitation of many existing studies that are constrained to the analysis of household compositions, and thus provide a more comprehensive empirical account of inter-generational relationships beyond the immediate residential unit. Given that families remain the primary source of social assistance and protection in the context of low levels of formal welfare provision in Ghana, these patterns can be assumed to entail profound implications for the well-being of individuals across generations.

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 Presented in Session 11. Intergenerational Proximity, Living Arrangements and Kin Ties Across Societies