Positive Deviance and Child Marriage by Abduction in the Sidama Zone of Ethiopia

161 Pages·2016·0.77 MB·English

Antioch University
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Dissertations & Theses
2014
Positive Deviance and Child Marriage by
Abduction in the Sidama Zone of Ethiopia
Ashley N. Lackovich-Van Gorp
Antioch University - PhD Program in Leadership and Change
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Recommended Citation
Lackovich-Van Gorp, Ashley N., "Positive Deviance and Child Marriage by Abduction in the Sidama Zone of Ethiopia" (2014).
Dissertations & Theses. 150.
http://aura.antioch.edu/etds/150
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POSITIVE DEVIANCE AND CHILD MARRIAGE BY ABDUCTION IN THE SIDAMA
ZONE OF ETHIOPIA

ASHLEY N. LACKOVICH-VAN GORP

A DISSERTATION

Submitted to the Ph.D. in Leadership and Change Program
of Antioch University
in partial fulfillment
of the requirements for the degree of
Doctor of Philosophy

July, 2014
This is to certify that the Dissertation entitled:
POSITIVE DEVIANCE AND CHILD MARRIAGE BY ABDUCTION IN THE SIDAMA
ZONE OF ETHIOPIA
prepared by
Ashley N. Lackovich-Van Gorp
is approved in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in
Leadership and Change
Approved by:
Alan Guskin, Ph.D., Chair date
Jon Wergin, Ph.D., Committee Member date
Lize Booysen, D.BL, Committee Member date
Monique Sternin, M.A., Committee Member date
Sandra Cheldelin, Ph.D., External Reader date
Copyright 2014 Ashley Lackovich-Van Gorp
All rights reserved
Acknowledgments

I would like to thank the faculty of Antioch University’s PhD in Leadership and Change
program for their exceptional guidance, support and encouragement throughout this entire PhD
journey. In particular, I want to thank Alan Guskin for serving as my dissertation chair as well as
my academic advisor. His guidance, generosity of time and commitment to my work are
humbling and I value both his leadership and friendship. I offer my heartfelt thanks to my
dissertation committee members, Jon Wergin, Lize Booysen and Monique Sternin. Their
feedback, guidance and support have been exceptional and I remain grateful for the ways that
they have shaped this dissertation as well as this process.
I would also like to thank Sandra Chedelin, my external reader, for her reflective
perspective and supportive, guiding input. I would like to express my deepest gratitude to
Common River staff, especially Tsegaye Bekele and Donna Sillan, for sharing their experience
and knowledge and for trusting me with their beloved community. I thank the Common River
community, especially Workenesh, Tafesse and Ashenafi, for their guidance, commitment and
kindness. I would also like to thank my participants for their bravery, honesty and willingness to
share. Lastly, I offer my warmest thanks to my family, friends and cohort who supported me
throughout this process with patience, understanding, grace and love.
I dedicate this dissertation to my daughters, Lidija Birchiko and Darija Tihun, and to all
of the girls of Sidama, Ethiopia.
i
Abstract

This dissertation uses Positive Deviance (PD) to understand child marriage by abduction in a
community in the Sidama Zone of Ethiopia. Marriage by abduction occurs among the poorest
10% of the Sidama population and entails the kidnapping of girls between the ages of 10 and 14
for forced genital circumcision, rape and marriage. PD is a problem solving approach that
mobilizes a community to uncover existing yet unrecognized solutions to solve the specific
problem. This study, which entailed an examination of the evolution of marriage norms among
the Sidama as well as an analysis of the underpinnings of marriage by abduction, discovered that
some community members practice behaviors and strategies that can prevent child marriage by
abduction. The results support PD application to this specific form of child marriage as well as
the practice as a whole, offering an alternative to traditional behavior change methodology. The
electronic version of this Dissertation is at OhioLink ETD Center, www.ohiolink.edu/etd
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Table of Contents
Acknowledgments...........................................................................................................................i
Abstract...........................................................................................................................................ii
List of Tables...............................................................................................................................viii
Chapter I: Introduction, Purpose and Justification.........................................................................1
Defining Child Marriage.....................................................................................................2
Implications of Child Marriage...........................................................................................5
Child Marriage in Ethiopia.................................................................................................7
Strategies to Delay Marriage Age.......................................................................................8
Positive Deviance...............................................................................................................9
Purpose of Research..........................................................................................................11
Research Rationale...........................................................................................................11
Research Questions...........................................................................................................12
Participatory Action Research..........................................................................................13
Position of Researcher......................................................................................................15
Summary of Subsequent Chapters....................................................................................16
Chapter II: Literature Review.......................................................................................................18
Standard Model Development and Delivery System Theory of Change..........................18
Conceptual Underpinnings of Positive Deviance.............................................................23
Adaptive Leadership..............................................................................................24
Complex Adaptive Systems...................................................................................25
Community Mobilization.......................................................................................27
Social Proof, Enactment, and Consistency............................................................28
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Indigenous Knowledge..........................................................................................29
Positive Deviance.............................................................................................................30
Infant Mortality......................................................................................................30
Female Genital Mutilation (FGM).........................................................................32
Trafficking.............................................................................................................35
Reintegration of Girl Child Soldiers......................................................................39
PD and Child Marriage by Abduction...................................................................40
Chapter III: Methodological Approach.........................................................................................43
Pilot Project: PD and Harmful Traditional Practices in Ethiopia.....................................43
Pilot Research Summary........................................................................................44
Interview Methods and Applied Concepts.............................................................45
Pilot Study Results, Conclusions, and Implications..............................................47
Participatory Action Research..........................................................................................51
Rationale for Participatory Action Research.........................................................53
Positionality...........................................................................................................55
Research Methods..................................................................................................56
Quality Assurance..................................................................................................60
Data Presentation..............................................................................................................63
Summary and Conclusion.................................................................................................67
Chapter IV: Results.......................................................................................................................68
Background.......................................................................................................................69
Case Study Questions and Intent......................................................................................70
Methodology.....................................................................................................................71
iv
Historic Context................................................................................................................74
Ethiopia Under Halie Selassie..........................................................................................76
Ethiopia Under the Mengistu Haile Mariam..........................................................78
Ethiopia Under Meles Zenawi...............................................................................79
Halalu................................................................................................................................81
Evolution of Marriage Norms...........................................................................................82
Bride Price.............................................................................................................82
Female Genital Mutilation.....................................................................................84
Marriage Age.........................................................................................................88
Dirra (Abduction).............................................................................................................90
During the Governments of Haile Selassie and Mengistu.....................................90
Abduction Today...................................................................................................92
Positive Deviance Process and Outcomes........................................................................95
PD Process Step One: Reframing and Defining the Problem...........................................96
PD Process Step Two: The Community Determines the Presence of Positive Deviant
Individuals/Groups..........................................................................................................101
PD Process Step Three: The Community Discovers the Specific Uncommon Practices
That Enable PDs to Prevent or Solve the Identified Problem.........................................103
PD mother one.....................................................................................................106
PD mother two.....................................................................................................109
PD mother three...................................................................................................111
Conclusion: PD Behaviors and Strategies......................................................................112
Chapter V: Discussion and Reflection........................................................................................116
v
Objective One: Address the Gap in Research and Programing for All Forms of Child
Marriage..........................................................................................................................116
Child Marriage by Abduction Entails a Uniform Process...................................117
There Is No Name for This Specific Form of Abduction....................................118
Child Marriage by Abduction Is Not a Harmful Traditional Practice, But Rather a
Harmful Modern Phenomenon............................................................................120
Child Marriage by Abduction Occurred Historically; However, It Was An
Uncommon Practice That Was Discouraged by Halalu......................................122
Objective Two: Pilot Efforts to Apply PD to Child Marriage by Abduction, Indicating
Whether or Not PD Is Effective Against This Specific Form of Early Marriage as Well
as the Practice as a Whole...............................................................................................123
Platform for Programing......................................................................................123
Investment of Time..............................................................................................124
Local Co-Researcher/Co-Facilitator....................................................................125
Researcher as Facilitator......................................................................................125
Identifying and Understanding Positive Deviants...............................................127
Key Findings...................................................................................................................130
Child Marriage by Abduction Fuels Child Marriage...........................................130
PD Mothers Admit Their Own Abduction..........................................................131
PD Mothers Used Traditional Singing.................................................................131
PD Behaviors and Strategies Are Linked to Traits..............................................132
The Community Is Knowledgeable on Child Marriage by Abduction, Yet It
Remains a Taboo Topic.......................................................................................132
vi