Intro to Anthropology 3/1/10

Article addresses the fact that marriages are typically arranged in India but what happens if these people move to another country? Do they continue the practice? What things change? What things stay the same? Most marriages are arranged by parentsArranged marriages are viewed as contrary to · the American ideal of individualism · the notion that a successful marriage is based on romantic love

• Dowry given by bride's family to groom's family - involves economic transactions
• Distinction (India) between normal marriage (arranged) and “Love Match” (not arranged)

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Family’s (not individual’s) decision - ad posted by a family member (written in the third person) Emphasis on quality of family (i.e. caste, occupations, locations (London) – transnational family, upper socioeconomic class) (Extended) family values emphasized

• “She respects elders” Why? Important because she will move into her elders’ home, take care of them later
• Importance of education

“Modern” + “Traditional” (upwardly mobile but also holds traditional values)

According to Nanda, in India, Indians go through the matrimonial process looking for not only a wife, but also a daughter-in-law!Family’s reputation; Caste and social class; “Character” of the girl; Skin color (indicator of caste); Ability of bride’s family to provide for suitable wedding festival and dowry = all important things to consider Marriage arrangement is a parental decision - "My marriage is too important to be arranged by such an inexperienced person as myself" (Sita, college graduate) The notion of a parent searching for their child's mate is in contrast with US – Indians view their parents playing the role of matchmaker as greatly reducing the anxiety over being popular (over finding a mate) However, immigrant children two or three generations out not as amenable to arranged marriage by parents, practice fades over time

Ads are "all about me", very different approach to attracting life partner in U.S. as compared to IndiaU.S.– personal decision, India – decision situated in broader family context

Marriage of one man with one woman

Marriage of 1 man with 2 or more women

Marriage of one woman with 2 or more men

Encompasses both polygyny and polyandry

Classic article, still considered best article on polyandryTibetans’ perspective Polyandry seen by Tibetans as a means to insure family unity.Polyandry has a practical economic side: to conserve household resources (in a situation of resource scarcity, avoids fragmenting land, animals by having the brothers inherit the land and other resources together avoids this problem).Corollary and Consequence:A result of polyandry is that many women are excluded from marriage. Low fertility and population growthBy excluding many women from marriage, polyandry has the unintended effect of limiting population growth.

Patrilocal post-marital residence - women marry out (move into the residence of their husband), men stay at home.Patrilineal inheritance - men inherit the land and animals from their fathers (avoids land fragmentation). Monogamy – if each one brother takes their wife and inherits it equally the land, animal holdings the total family land holdings and animal holdings decrease due to splitting Conserve resources, don’t have the break up through marriage – all brothers inherit same resources Economic viability in a diversified HH economy Sustain household economy by maintaining more than one adult in the household (one brother farms, other trades, other herds – all for benefit of same household)

Goldstein predicted that people would abandon polyandry when other income earning opportunities become available. Has this happened? To some extent, because of the elimination of the traditional serf-based economy and the new opportunities for economic and social mobility, the practice of polyandry has diminishedYounger brothers earn wages, gain ability to split out and form own monogamous union Five brothers ranging in age, family strategically has some marry one wife, other younger brothers move out Eldest brother is farmer, home permanently Younger two brothers married to wife – learn trade (one brother became carpenter, one became truck driver) Economically diverse household: rural-urban connections (jobs thru education) Multiple income sources (farming, driving, skilled labor) Eldest three sons – stay at home, arranged marriage (polyandry, patrilocal – wife moves in with brothers) Youngest two sons – jobs thru education, choice marriage (monogamy, neolocal)

Article about the history of polygyny in the United States1890s: Mormon church denounced polygamy (actually, polygyny) and Utah outlawed the practice (condition of statehood).20,000 – 60,000 today people live in polygynous families (such wide range it means that you really have no clue how many people are living in these households, very secretive practice because illegal).Polygyny survives in “clans”.

· Lack of female autonomy · Early (child) marriages = pedophilia · “Incestuous” unions (e.g., first cousins) – legally first cousin is NOT incest · Appointed marriages (often large age diff.) · Statutory rape if the women is under legal age (Must keep in mind - General practices or isolated incidents?)

· Men are evolutionarily wired for multiple sex partners. · Men have natural urge for diversity of mates. · Female perspective · Polygyny keeps sex within marriage, legitimizes offspring (better to be a second wife than concubine, gives you rights to you child). · Polygyny offers “sense of security” and “sisterhood” for modern women (+ sharing the domestic duties) – some women positively inclined toward polygyny.

"While does this represent the edge of the last century..." Ethnocentric bias by author about the town how the practice of polygny can’t possibly be a thing of modern times, that it is outdated – however Childs points out it is unfair of the author to make these characterizations of this practice