MARRIAGE AND SOCIETY
MARRIAGE = SOCIALLY APPROVED SEXUAL AND ECONOMIC UNION
BETWEEN A WOMAN AND A MAN
MODIFIERS:
 MORE OR LESS PERMANENT
 CONTAINS REPCIPRICAL RIGHTS B/W SPOUSE & CHILDREN
 DON’T HAVE TO HIDE SEXUAL NATURE OF RELATIONSHIP
TWO UNIVERSALS:
 FOUND IN ALL SOCIETIES (THOUGH NOT ALL MAY MARRY)
 PEOPLE MAY NOT MARRY PARENTS, BROTHERS, SISTERS
‘ANTHRO REASONS’ FOR THE UNIVERSALITY OF MARRIAGE
GENDER DIVISION OF LABOR:
 DIVISION OF LABOR BY SEXES SOLVES SHARING OF PRODUCTS
OF LABOR
PROLONGED INFANT DEPENDENCY:
 DUE TO CHILD CARE FEMALES NEED HELP WITH CERTAIN WORK
SEXUAL COMPETITION:
 “CONTINUAL” SEXUAL RECEPTIVITY EXISTS AMONG HUMAN
FEMALE, UNLIKE ALL OTHER PRIMATES
 SITUATION WOULD LEAD TO JEALOUSY AND COMPETITION
WHICH IS SOLVED BY MARRIAGE
THERE ARE FLAWS IN EACH OF THE ABOVE EXAMPLES
POSTPARTUM REQUIREMENTS:
ANIMAL KINGDOM PRESENTS 4TH THEORY
 WHERE ANIMAL MOTHERS CAN FEED THEMSELVES/BABY
POSTPARTUM = NOT STABLE MATINGS (& OPPOSITE IS TRUE)
 EX. = ROBIN IN A NEST
 HUMAN FEMALES FALL INTO THIS NICHE & MARRIAGE GIVES THE
BEST SOLUTION TO HUNGER ISSUE
ANYTHING MISSING??
THE BEGINNING OF MARRIAGE
MARRIAGE IS TIED HEAVILY (75%) WITH ECONOMICS IN MOST
CULTURES
 BRIDE PRICE: GIFT OF MONEY OR GOODS FROM GROOM TO
BRIDE’S KIN
 44% PRACTICE, CATTLE IN AFRICA, PIGS IN PHILLIPINES
 WIFE NOT SLAVE BUT INDICATES LOWER STATUS
 PAYMENT MEANS HUSBAND HAS RIGHT TO MARRY,
RIGHT TO CHILDREN
 FAILS & WIFE’S FAULT, MUST BE RETURNED
 BRIDE SERVICE: GROOM MUST WORK FOR BRIDE’S FAMILY
 19% PRACTICE, EITHER BEFORE OR AFTER
 LASTS A FEW MONTHS TO YEARS
 ALASKAN ESKIMOS CATCH SEAL
GIFT EXCHANGE: KIN GROUPS EXCHANGE GIFTS OF ABOUT EQUAL
VALUE
RD
 11 %; 3 PARTY GIVES GIFTS
 LASTS UNTIL MARRIAGE TAKES PLACE
SUBSTANTIAL TRANSFER OF GOODS FROM THE BRIDE’S
FAMILY TO BRIDE
 8%
 FAMILY HAS TO HAVE WEALTH--$ DOESN’T COME BACK
TO BRIDE’S KIN
 FOUND WHERE
 WOMEN CONTRIBUTE LITTLE TO PRIMARY
SUBSISTENCE ACTIVITIES
 COMPLEX SOCIAL STRATIFICATION
 MAN NOT ALLOWED TO MARRY MORE THAN 1 WIFE
DOWRY:
INDIRECT DOWREY: GROOM’S FAMILY GIVES BRIDE (OR HER
FATHER) GOODS/MONEY
 12%
 MUSLIM COUNTRIES
WHO MARRIES WHO?
MOST PEOPLE MARRY GEOGRAPHICALLY CLOSE AND SAME CLASS
ARRANGED MARRIAGES:
 #1 FORM OF MARRIAGE IN WORLD
 LOVE NOT CENTRAL
 OFTEN BETROTHED YOUNG
 BY FAMILIES OR “PROFESSIONAL”
EXOGAMY: RULE THAT MARRIAGES BE OUTSIDE ONE’S KIN OR
COMMUNITY
 RANI KHERA, INDIA = 266 MARRIED WOMEN CAME 200
VILLAGES; 220 WENT TO 200 VILLAGES
ENDOGAMY: RULE THAT MARRIAGES OCCUR WITHIN A GROUP
 CASTE SYSTEM OF INDIA
COUSIN MARRIAGES:
 ALMOST ALL SOCIETIES BAN MARRIAGE WITH 1ST COUSINS
 WHEN THEY DON’T, THEY MAKE CRITICAL DISTINCTION
CROSS COUSINS = CHILDREN OF SIBLINGS OF OPP. SEX
 EX: FATHER’S SISTERS’ OR MOTHER’S BROTHERS’ KIDS
 CHIPPEWA INDIANS PRACTICED
PARALLEL COUSINS = CHILDREN OF SIBILINGS OF SAME SEX
 EX: FATHER’S BROTHERS’ OR MOTHER’S SISTERS’ KIDS
 MUSLIM SOCIETIES PREFER THIS 1ST’ CC 2ND
COUSIN “EXCEPTIONS”
1) DENSE POPULATIONS WHERE RISK IS LOW
2) SPARSE POP.’S ERODED BY EPIDEMICS
LEVIRATE = MAN OBLIGED TO MARRY SPOUSE OF DECEASED
RELATIVES
 CHUKCHEE OF SIBERIA = NEXT OLDEST BROTHER, UNITES
REINDEER HERD FOR BROTHER’S KIDS
SORORATE = WOMAN OBLIGED TO MARRY HER DECEASED SISTER’S
HUSBAND
HOW MANY DOES ONE MARRY?
MONAGAMY = MARRIAGE INVOLVING ONE MAN AND ONE WOMAN
AT A TIME
POLYGAMY = MARRIAGE TO MORE THAN ONE SPOUSE
SIMULTANEOUSLY
 POLYGYNY = ONE HUSBAND, TWO OR MORE WIVES
 FOUND IN OLD TESTAMENT, MUSLIM/AFRICAN SOCIETIES
 USUALLY NEED $ TO MAKE WORK
 JEALOUSLY COMMON AMONG NON-SISTERS
 CLEAR DEFINITION OF ROLES FOR SEX, WORK, AND PRESTIGE
 WHY DOES POLOGYNY EXIST?
 PRIMATE URGE TO COLLECT FEMALES
 POSTPARTUM SEX TABOO = ABSTAIN ONE YEAR FOR KIDS
 EXCESS OF WOMEN OVER MEN; WAR & WORK THIN #’S
 FOUND WHERE MEN MARRY OLDER THAN WOMEN
 POLYANDRY = MARRIAGE OF ONE WOMAN TO SEVERAL MEN
 FOUND IN TIBET AND TODA OF INDIA
 OCCURS WITH SHORTAGE OF WOMEN
 PREVENTS BREAK-UP OF LAND
 MINIMIZES POPULATION GROWTH
FAMILY
A SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC UNIT CONSISTING MINIMALLY OF ONE OR
MORE PARENTS AND THEIR CHILDREN
NUCLEAR FAMILY = MARRIED COUPLE AND CHILDREN
EXTENDED FAMILY = TWO OR MORE SINGLE PARENT, MONOG,
POLYG. OR POLYANDRY, FAMILIES LINKED BY A BLOOD LINE
JOINT FAMILY = SINGLE SONS & DAUGHTERS ALONG WITH MARRIED
SONS AND THEIR FAMILIES LIVE UNDER PARENT’S ROOF
WHY MORE EXTENDED FAMILIES IN WORLD?
 WHERE SEDENTARY AGRICULTURE EXISTS W/ LAND SPLIT
 INCOMAPTIBLE ACTIVITY REQ’S = WORK AWAY BUT MUST HAVE
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