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Alienation and obligation, Religion and social change in Samoa.

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dc.contributor.author Thornton, Alec
dc.contributor.author T. Kerslake, Maria
dc.contributor.author Binns, Tony
dc.date.accessioned 2021-12-09T21:04:38Z
dc.date.available 2021-12-09T21:04:38Z
dc.date.issued 2010-04
dc.identifier.citation doi: 10.1111/j.1467-8373.2010.01410.x en_US
dc.identifier.issn 1360-7456
dc.identifier.uri ${sadil.baseUrl}/handle/123456789/1588
dc.description 17 pages : PDF en_US
dc.description.abstract This paper will explore social change in contemporary Samoan society with respect to the traditional expectations of the church and kinship conflicting with the modern needs of an urbanising population. In the Samoan way of life – the fa’aSamoa – religion, matai (chiefly system) and reciprocal ‘gift-giving’ kinship arrangements among the aiga (extended family) are fundamental and closely related elements. However, pressures from continued integration into the global economy, the importance of remittance income and related migration of well-educated and highly skilled Samoans overseas are presenting several challenges to the strongly held traditions of kinship and church obligations. Among these challenges, low-income households are increasingly placing the material well-being of the immediate household first, thus ‘opting out’ of the culturally defined primary obligation to the church and risk alienation from beneficial familial ties. As a result, settlement patterns are shifting towards leaseholds in urbanising Apia, with consequences, we will speculate, that may have deeper cultural implications. Our research revealed that the church has been slow to accept that, increasingly, Samoans are seeking relief from hardships that spirituality alone cannot address. However, given its influence, strengths and resources, the church is well positioned to take a lead role in facilitating opportunities for ‘bottom-up alternative development in Samoa, as well as providing lessons for church-led participatory approaches in the Pacific Island Region. en_US
dc.language.iso en en_US
dc.publisher Asia Pacific Viewpoint en_US
dc.relation.ispartofseries Volume 51;No. 1
dc.subject alternative development, kinship, landless, Pacific Island Countries, religion, Samoa en_US
dc.title Alienation and obligation, Religion and social change in Samoa. en_US
dc.type Article en_US


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