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ALTMAN, Irwin and Joseph GINAT, POLYGAMOUS FAMILIES IN CONTEMPORARY SOCIETY. New York: Cambridge University Press, 1996, 512pp., $27.95 softcover
Reviewed by: STACY A. HAMMONS *
Using a transactional perspective, Altman and Ginat study members of two Mormon fundamentalist religious communities practicing polygamy. The researchers' framework is based on five assumptions about close relationships:1) close relationships are embedded in various social, physical, historical and cultural contexts; 2) close relationships are holistic and can best be studied in terms of patterned behaviors and interactions; 3) close relationships are characterized by dialectic or oppositional processes, including conflict and harmony; 4) close relationships evolve over time and 5) the phenomenon under study should guide the selection of the research tools to be used in understanding that phenomenon.
To study the families in question, Altman and Ginat rely on face-to-face interviews with members of polygamous families, as well as observation of homes, community events, and interactions between family members. In particular, these researchers are interest in ascertaining the ease of creating and maintaining dyadic relationships within the overall, more communal...