Zamambo Mkhize is lecturer in Gender Studies at the African Gender Institute at the University of Cape Town. Her research focus includes modern polygyny, law, family, Zulu culture and African feminism.
‘With great skill, Zamambo Mkhize takes the reader through the intricate process of brokering individual autonomy and cultural expectations and demonstrates how this culminates in hybridised gender identities. The book’s uniqueness lies in underscoring how socially organising principles, such as seniority, naming and co-mothering, contribute to gender identity construction in polygynous families. The critical insights generated in this book will increase our understanding of gender dynamics in an African context.’ — Janet Muthuki, Senior Lecturer, Gender Studies Programme, University of KwaZulu-Natal