Enduring Traditions and Emerging Shifts: Exploring Gender Roles in Ghanaian Marriages Amidst Modernization

Abstract This study examines the persistence and transformation of traditional gender roles in Ghanaian marriages amidst modernization, globalization, and shifting societal norms. Using qualitative data from twenty-eight in-depth interviews across rural and urban Ghana, it investigates how practices such as bride price, puberty rites, and familial expectations sustain traditional roles despite exposure to education, economic shifts, and global influences. Guided by Sylvia Walby’s patriarchal theory and Pierre Bourdieu’s concept of habitus, the findings reveal that male dominance remains deeply embedded, reinforced by economic dependence, religious ideologies, and early socialization. Women’s caregiving roles are seen as biologically and divinely inherent, maintaining traditional norms. However, limited changes are emerging in urban settings and among younger, educated men who occasionally share domestic responsibilities. This research highlights the resilience and adaptability of gender roles in Ghana, offering insights for culturally sensitive policies that promote gender equity while respecting cultural identity.