MarriageAn anthropological perspective

UniversalityAll societies recognize families and marriagesThe details of what this looks like varies from culture to culture.In Indonesia, people typically ask, Are you married, or not yet?

FamilyA social unit characterized by the followingeconomic cooperationthe management of reproduction and child rearingcommon residence.socially approved sexual relationsRecognition of rights and responsibilities

Traditional View of MarriageMarriage is a union between a man and woman such that the children born to the woman are recognized as legitimate offspring of both partners. Royal Anthropological Institute, 1951.

Non-ethnocentric viewA relationship between one or more men (male or female) and one or more women (female or male) who are recognized by society as having a continuing claim to the right of sexual access to one another.This recognizes that gender is culturally definedNot all married couple live togetherMultiple spouses are accepted in many societiesIn no society do all marriages endure until death

FunctionsStable relationships to regulate sexual mating and reproductionRegulates sexual division of labor. Provides socially sanctioned rules for economic rights and obligationsProvides relationships to provide for the material, educational, and emotional needs of children

Mate Selection- Dont MarryIncest: prohibitions relating to mating with relatives is universal but the precise rules vary. Many rules of incest apply to the choice of spouse for marriageIranian loss of virginity with young boys by male relativesNo nuclear family. However, brothers and sisters of Egyptian, Inca and Hawaiin royalty frequently marriedFirst cousin? Cross cousin? Parallel cousin?24 states forbid first cousin marriageYanomami consider cross cousins proper, but not parallel cousinsWhy? Natural aversion? Found to be found in Jewish Kibbutz. Yet 10-15% of people experience incestPrevent inbreeding? Mating with first cousins doesnt significantly increase the risk of birth defectsFamily disruption? Too much competition Expanding social alliances? Allows families to create wider social ties

Mate selection- Who to MarryExogamy: Marriage outside of a groupEndogamy: Marriage within a groupIndian casteRace, class, ethnicity, religionArranged marriagesJapanese Omiai or IndiaCross cousin: mothers brothers children or fathers sisters children- solidifies family tiesParallel cousin: found in Middle East and North Africa as way to prevent fragmentation of family property.Levirate (marry brother or close male relative of dead husband)- looks after wife in patrilineal society and maintains connections between the familySororate- other way around. In a matrilineal and matrilocal society, a husband can stay with the family. It also allows the brides family to keep the bridewealth.

Arranged MarriageIn 1996, a recent Iraqi refugee living in Nebraska arranged a double marriage for his two daughters. It was an occasion for a big party.The problem was that his daughters were 13 and 14 and the men were 28 and 34. Marriage in traditional Iraqi society is viewed a union between two large families. Moreover, by marrying young, a woman is protected from the shame of being dishonored by premarital sexShould American law take into account cultural considerations?

Number of SpousesMonogamy- one spouse at a timeLifelong partnerships are circumvented by discreet extramarital affairs or serial monogamyPolygany7/10 world cultures permit or preferIn 2005, it is estimated that 30,000 people practice polyganyWhere women are seen as economic assets, like in Africa, rates are high, while the converse is trueIn the Solomon Islands, women farm and raise pigsRatio is possible if males killed in war, male infanticide, male capture, or if older men marry younger womenUtah polygamist Tom Green with his family of five wives and some of his 29 children

PolyandryPractice of one woman marrying more than one manFound in 1% of the world- Nepal, Tibet, IndiaFraternal or non-fraternalAdvantages: Shortage of women, conserve economic resources, prevent primogenitureUsed when shortage of women or for the preservation of family resources

PolyandryYUSHU COUNTY, CHINA - JULY 18: (L-R) La Wen, Cai Zhuo, Gama Sangding and their child Gelai Bajiu pose for a photo in their house located at the downtown area on July 18, 2007 in Yushu Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Qinghai Province, northwest China. The 40-year-old Tibetan woman Cai Zhuo has two husbands who are brothers, 44-year-old La Wen and 41-year-old Gama Sangding.

Economic considerationsBridewealth:Compensation given by family of groom to the family of the bride-- 46%Compensates the brides group for the loss of companionship and laborBride serviceProviding of labor rather than goodsDowryCompensation from bride to groom. It is meant to compensate the husbands for the added responsibility of taking care of a womanFound in India, where sati and dowry murders existWoman exchangeReciprocal exchange: 6%

Modern Thai Bride WealthModern Bride Wealth in Thailand: Following the initial greetings to her family we presented the bride wealth to Pooks mom. The bride wealth consisted of 100,000 Baht in cash (approximately $2500 USD) and two solid gold necklaces. Pooks mom gave the necklaces back to us and we put them on and wore them for the remainder of the ceremony. (While the bride wealth price was 100,000 Baht, Pook's mom did what many Thai parents do these days and she gave back most of it, keeping only 30,000 Baht.)

Nuer Bride WealthPrimary Family of the Bride (20) father of the bride8 head:3 cows and their 3 calves 2 oxenbrother of another mother 2 cowsbrother of the same mother 7 head: 2 oxen 3 cows 1 cow and its 1 calfmother 1 cow and its 1 calf 1 heifer

Siblings of brides mother- 10Siblings of brides father- 10

DivorceRules and availability of divorce vary around worldIn places where love marriages are valued, divorce rates are generally higher.

Patterns of residencePatrilocal: with or near husbands father (46%)Matrilocal: With or near relatives of wife (13%)Avunculocal: With or near husbands mothers brother (4%)Ambilocal: choice of wife or husbands relatives (9%)Neolocal: independent residence (5%)

Who lives in the familyNuclear: based on marital tiesExtended: based on blood ties among 3 or more generationsBush Extended family

Same Sex MarriageOn 4/7/09, the Vermont legislature passed a law which overrode Governor Douglas veto permitting same sex marriage

ReadingsRead intro from Cultural AnthropologyWhat is a working definition of marriage?What are the functions of marriage?Read excerpts on same sex marriages from Anthropology by Haviland and Anthropology by Kottack.According to Haviland, what are the main reasons people cite for opposing gay marriage? What is Havilands response to these concerns? Do you agree?According to Kottack, how would same sex marriage accomplish the 6 goals of marriage? Do you agree?

ResearchRead Governor Douglas reasons for vetoing the same sex marriage bill along with congressman who opposed the bill. http://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/assets/pdf/BT13226146.PDFRead the arguments of those who supported it, such as congressmen and the Freedom to Marry task grouphttp://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/article/20090407/NEWS03/90407016 http://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/article/20090407/NEWS03/90407009/1095/news03Summarize the main arguments on both sidesPrepare a 2-3 minute radio editorial in which you use anthropological concepts to support or oppose the same sex marriage bill.