Culture and Socialization: Child Marriage Report 2022

Running head: CULTURE AND SOCIALIZATION: CHILD MARRIAGE 1
Culture and Socialization: Child Marriage
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CULTURE AND SOCIALIZATION: CHILD MARRIAGE 2
Culture and Socialization: Child Marriage
1. Compare and contrast ethnocentrism and cultural relativism approaches to child marriage in
Malawi.
In developed countries like Canada there are women leadership groups that help young
girls transition from childhood into adolescent by educating them on how to deal with puberty
and maximize on education (Macionis & Gerber, Sociolization, 2018). However, in Malawi
the initiation camps that are celebrated by the community seeks to equip young girls transitioning
into adolescents with knowledge on how to please men and prepare them for marriage (TED|
Women, 2015). In Canada it is unlawful and extremely taboo for men to engage in sexually
explicit actions with young girls. In Malawi entire communities contribute funds that are used to
hire a man who is tasked with responsibility of having canal knowledge of young girl with the
objective of assessing whether they are capable of pleasing a man and they therefore have what it
takes to be married off. The Canadian culture does not support child marriages nor does it
celebrate child mothers (Macionis & Gerber, Culture, 2018). Girls are expected to be
eighteen years of age of older before they are able to consent to marriage. On the other hand, in
Malawi child marriages are celebrated and encourage making it acceptable for the society to
have child mother. The consent of the girl child towards marriage is immaterial and the parents
are seen as the ones who dictate when the child is ready for marriage.
2. Describe how ingredients of culture such as norms, symbols, and values and beliefs articulate
and support (or challenge) child marriage.
From a traditional stance, Malawians believe that a girl becomes a woman who is capable
of being married once she becomes an adolescent. Those the people of Malawi believe a girl is