Joint Land Titling and the Marital Bond in Southwestern Uganda

Abstract When a randomized intervention in southwestern Uganda offered fully subsidized land titles to agricultural households, the majority of husbands chose to add their wives’ names to the title, a striking result given the persistent gender asymmetry in land ownership across Africa. This study investigates the social dynamics underlying that result, asking: What does a joint land title mean for couples in practice, and do women benefit as intended? We draw on fieldwork observations, conversational interviews with selected couples, and interviews with community leaders. Our findings indicate that women's marital bargaining power increases, consistent with household bargaining models. Critically, we identify an additional channel: a joint title symbolizes a husband's commitment to his spouse and marriage. This symbolic dimension is crucial, as women's property rights are threatened under marital insecurity. Joint titling thus shapes marital dynamics not only by strengthening women's bargaining power but also by encouraging what we term “cooperative power”—a fortified marital bond that inspires investment in the marriage. By applying ethnographic approaches to numerical outcomes, the study shows how qualitative inquiry complements survey research in examining the meanings, motivations, and social logics underlying observed demographic and economic behaviors, offering insight into family processes in contemporary Africa.