Theorising Family Meanings

Good social research is usually informed by theory. In this chapter, Gwenzi draws from both classical and contemporary sociological theories of family to inform the study on the social construction of family by adolescents and youths in child welfare institutions in Zimbabwe. The chapter discusses how social constructionism and symbolic interactionism can be used to make sense of who and what is family for young people growing up outside of biological family care in Zimbabwe. In contemporary sociological studies of family, Morgan's (1996) family practices and Finch's family display concepts provided a way to understand diverse family structures and meanings. Additionally, the study which is conducted in an African setting also necessitated the use of two Afrocentric theories: ukama and Ubuntu, which explain African social relations.