Polygyny: an indicator of nutritional stress in African agricultural societies?

"The object of this paper will be to present some of the anthropological literature on polygyny, both to illustrate [the variety among societies] and to suggest which aspects of polygyny should be investigated for their relationship to nutritional status." The geographical focus is on Africa. "The paper indicates that there are differences between societies which do not practise polygyny and those which do; that there are regional differences which affect how women experience polygyny as well as differences in individual societies related to economic change." (summary in FRE) excerpt