Kinship and Marriage
The definition of marriage ranges cross culturally, and in our culture it means the union of a man and wife, but that is also changing with time. Marriage serves a lot of purposes for the individuals who are getting married, and for their families. Being Sikh, and more specifically Punjabi, marriage plays a very big role in our society, and it is very different from the marriage portrayed in Yano and Dobe societies. These three societies may be very different from each other, but they all have religion in their societies, and I think they may have more in common regarding marriage, although they may seem very different. Marriage may be portrayed very differently in different societies, but the more you compare it to other cultures, the more similarities you will find. The purpose of this essay is to show the similarities between the three different societies and to understand why our definition of marriage is different but the underlying reasons and purposes of marriage remain the same.
In Indian societies marriage is often only between a man and a woman, and in the past there have been polygynous marriages, but those were mainly allowed and limited for royalty. Today, Indian societies practice arranged marriages, because they tend to be beneficial to the families and for the individuals that are getting married. Indias divorce rate is very low compared to that of the United States, the U.S. has a divorce rate of 50%, while India's is 1.1%. A reason why Indias divorce rate is lower than the U.S. is because divorce is looked down upon in India, and is considered a very bad thing, especially for females. Even if a person has marital problems, they are expected to push through it because if not their fa...
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...each for their own purposes, and have limitations to who you can and cannot marry.
Although these are just few of the many similarities I had found while comparing these three different societies, I have come to realize that these societies are more similar than they seem. The similarities that are found within each of these societies marriage traditions and patterns can be traced back five thousand years ago, and they all come from one central geographic area. But although they all evolve from one idea, as time has passed, and the geography has changed, people have moved around, different cultures have been introduced and incorporated into cultures, the more the idea and concept of marriage has changed, but the core concept still remain the same cross culturally. Marriage is still known to be the union of a man and woman cross culturally, or well, in most cultures.
In a scene the film Ravi goes to a wedding in India where a family member is being wedded. Ravi asked if he was happily marrying his wife, in love, and not having second doubts, all his family member expressed was no remorse, but it seemed as if it was something casual for him, it was necessary to marry, and that the bride he had chosen was approved from his parents, and the community of Patels. It seemed that throughout the film arrange marriage is viewed as normal in India, they don’t seem to ask their children if they’re happy about being arrangbeds into a marriage, it something that when you come of age you have to do. However in Indians living in America are challenging their parents and their cultures religion of arranged marriage. In America they are looking at the diverse cultures and falling love with people outside their culture, and making work, while others are still in the biodata and probably decided to marry into a Patel or other Indian name, yet still experienced dating other men before deciding. What was weird is that some Indian women don’t date until later in their college years when they are away because of the strict household their parents had and from fear of disappointing their family, and being
“Children have never been very good at listening to their elders, but they have never failed to imitate them.” – James Baldwin
The first chapter begins with an exploration of love and marriage in many ancient and current cultures. Surprisingly many cultures either avoid the discussion of love in marriage or spit on the idea completely. China and other societies believed that love was simply a product of marriage and shouldn’t get too out of hand, while a few Greek and Roman philosophers shunned excessive
Both arguments against and for the practice of arranged marriage were compelling. For example, the argument favoring arranged marriages offered insight into a viewpoint not seen or considered very often. A good idea for future research on the practice of arranged marriages would perhaps be the study of what causes arranged marriages to fail as compared to what causes western marriages to fail. This data could then perhaps be used to prevent divorce and improve the quality and survival rate of marriages
In Christianity, Islam, and Judaism the form and practices of marriages may be differ, however, all three faiths emphasize their special covenant with God, for Judaism through Moses, Christianity through Jesus, and Islam through Muhammad. a
Marriage practices vary across cultures. Every culture has its own way of conducting marriage according to their traditions and customs. Most cultures share common customs and practices, while some cultures have unique practices. Marriage refers to a social union agreed upon by the couples to unit as spouses. The union of couples implies sexual relations, permanence in union, and procreation. This research paper focuses on comparing marriage practices in American and Indian culture. There is significant difference between the two cultures in marriage practices.
The first difference between American culture and Indian culture is marriage. A wedding is a great social event in our society, which establish a new bond between two individuals and families. Marriage is a joyful occasion with plenty of music, dance, partying and merrymaking. It also brings together a long-lost friends, relatives and acquaintances. In India, the parents choose the mate for their child, which is called an arranged marriage. In most cases, the bri...
Marriage is termed as a legitimate commitment or social establishment which unites two people mutually as husband and wife. The agreement ascertains privileges and responsibilities amid spouses, spouses and children and spouses and in-laws. Marriage is deemed to be a momentous union in every society. It is significant in terms of providing security, emotional support and fulfilling economic, social, cultural and physical needs. These needs are the natural cravings of young adults that drive them towards matrimony. It is a foundation that is based on personal responsibilities which form the backbone of civilizations.
The vast majority of the population is Hindu religion and its organization and its operation is based on the centuries-old tradition and intangible principles. Among these traditions and rules, marriage is central because it is the cornerstone of the harmonious development of the Hindu society. Marriage is primarily a union between two same-class families to sustain the economic continuity and maintain the Hindu Society 's balance.
The article begins by introducing general knowledge about arranged marriages in India. First is the proof of commonality. Arranged marriages are so customary that marriages not arranged
Making up the two largest religions in the world, Christianity and Islam, both look at marriage as a major part of one’s life journey. Thus the idea that the sacred ritual of marriage in both Christianity and Islam are full of rich symbolism, ceremony and grounded in religious and cultural traditions, can be explored. However, the ritual of marriage differentiates between Christianity and Islam, as Christianity is founded on deep symbolic meaning and religious tradition in contrast to the culturally rich marriage ceremony found in Islam. This can be further investigated through an in depth analysis of the ceremony, symbols, religious and cultural traditions involved in the ritual of marriage.
One of the main arguments for arranged marriages is that parents, being older and more experienced, are better able to find a suitable match for their children. This belief relies on the trust the offspring has that their parents understand what would be best choice or most suitable for their children. This trust is often discouraged by the individualist ideal and rebel teen mentality sponsored by American mass-media. However, in India trust between parent and child are common. When Nanda tried helping arrange a marriage, we see that parents in India weigh many considerations when choosing partners for their children including the statuses of the individuals (including their caste and career path), the social dynamics between the members of both households, and what resources the other family and potential partner have. At least in the case given in the reading, this process can be though and produce a good marriage with stable family ties. Another argument made for arranged marriage is that since the parents are handling the marriage, the children are free to enjoy life and not worry about the details. To a lesser degree in our country, people delegate part of the relationship forming process to others by allowing friends, family, and dating sites or shows to play matchmaker. Though in general, in America the person who would be in the relationship is more involved, and has to worry about handling some of the details. In India, culture is more dependent on family structure so marriage is just as much about forming ties between families as the couple itself, which is part of the reason why the family is so involved in these
Marriage is a “socially recognized and approved union between individuals, who commit to one another with the expectations of a stable and lasting intimate relationship. It begins with a ceremony known as a wedding which formally unites marriage partners. A marital relationship usually involves some kind of contract, either written or specified by tradition, which defines the partners’ rights and obligations to each other, to any children they may have, and to their relatives. In most contemporary industrialized societies, marriage is certified by the government,” (Skolnick, 2005). Marriage is also an important institution because of the impact it has on society. Marriage is the main way that reproduction of human life occurs. In some societies it is tradition for family heirlooms or things of value be passed on through marriage. Marriage also serves as a healthy way to have intimate relationships with an individual. In most places a marriage exists between two people of the opposite sex. However, the legal definition of marriage is currently being challenged by many. According to Skolnick’s article a marriage can be defined by responsibilities that a couple would share, some examples are: living together, having sexual relations, sharing money and financial responsibilities, and having a child together. The issue is that homosexual couples can do these things like heterosexual couples.
Each marriage comes with a different perspective and story, whether it is an arranged marriage or love marriage. Arranged and Love marriages are very similar yet different. Love is the pure feeling of attachment. Arrange marriage is like a blind date in hopes to find love. It could be love at first sight or love after a while so in somewhat way they end up being a love marriage after all because the end result is the same as they get married or find love. In this essay there will be comparison done on love marriage and arrange marriage. Each country has a different perspective on each type of marriage. I will be comparing both marriages in America and India. Love Marriages come with a responsibility of their
Many of the marriages in India are arranged. While the tradition is becoming less and less popular, parents will often search to find the right partner for their children. It is not just two people getting married,