Formation of cohabiting unions in Botswana: A qualitative study

As in most African societies, a fundamental component of customary marriage in traditional Tswana society was the participation of the extended family. The traditional Tswana social organisation system, therefore, had no place for unions in which couples cohabited without the approval of their respective families or descent groups. Indeed, the lack of a distinct Tswana term that describes this living arrangement may be a reflection of the fact that this is a relatively new phenomenon. To close this research gap, this paper uses qualitative dat a to examine the factors that may lie behind the decision to form cohabiting unions in contemporary Botswana. The paper begins by examining the pathways that couples in Botswana take to establish these unions. This is followed by a presentation of the responses to the question of why the cohabitants moved in together. Based on the reasons advanced for cohabiting, the paper also discusses the potential impact of the increase in cohabitation on future marriage patterns in Botswana.