Beyond the Norm of Monogamy – Consensual Non-monogamy as an Example of a ‘Post-modern’ Relationship?

Abstract

Postmodern society is a society in the process of changing value systems and norms, increasing diversity, and individualisation, also in the area of intimate relationships. Contemporary consensual non-monogamy seems to be one example of this changing outlook. The article seeks to answer the questions as to how non-monogamous people identify themselves, what the motivations for entering such relationships they have, and what features of a new approach to relationships this type of relationship demonstrates. The theoretical framework of the article is based, among others, on Giddens’ and Prandini’s theoretical proposals as well as on Luhmann’s ‘semantics of love’. The text presents the results of the qualitative research consisting of 15 in-depth interviews. Its key findings are that in motivating their commitment to such relationships, respondents very often refer to self-discovery and to the choice to be consciously ‘non-normative’. They also demonstrate many features of a new approach to relationships, specifically, relational anarchy.