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11/18/2015 CoWell Brown Bag Research Seminar - Dr. Annabella Opare-Henaku

“Love is the Debatable”: Descriptions, Expressions, and Experiences of Love among Churchgoers in Ghana

Wednesday, November 18, 2015 - 12:30 to 14:00

 

Dr. Annabella Opare-Henaku
Department of Psychology
University of Ghana, Legon,
Ghana, West Africa

Venue:
Jacobs University Bremen
Res. IV, Conference Room


“Love is the Debatable”:
Descriptions, Expressions, and Experiences of Love among Churchgoers in Ghana

Love has been conceptualized from different angels across different peoples and cultures. In this study, we used semi-structured interviews to explore descriptions, expressions, and experiences of love among a sample of churchgoers in Ghana. The study aimed to examine how the cultural, social, and religious contexts in which the participants live color their discussions about love. We used thematic analysis to explore the data. Results revealed different dimensions of love including relational, material, and emotional dimensions. We observed that little or no reference was made to physical or emotional intimacies as dimensions of love. Further, we found that the religious practices participants engage with as well as the social realities in which participants are embedded in provided the primary motivation for expressing love. The findings are discussed focusing on how the ecological realities in Ghana inform discourses on love and relationships.

For further information on this presentation please contact Dr. Katja Hanke.

For further information about CoWell and the Brown Bag Research Seminars please contact Prof. Dr. Guido Möllering.