Arranged marriage

(Redirected from Arranged dating)

Arranged marriage is a type of marital union where the bride and groom are primarily selected by individuals other than the couple themselves, particularly by family members such as the parents. In some cultures, a professional matchmaker may be used to find a spouse for a young person.

Arranged marriages have historically been prominent in many cultures. The practice remains common in many regions, notably the Caucasus, Central Asia, North Africa, South Asia, Southeast Asia, sub-Saharan Africa, and West Asia. In many other parts of the world, the practice has declined substantially during the 19th and 20th centuries. [citation needed]

Forced marriages, practised in some families, are condemned by the United Nations. The specific sub-category of forced child marriage is especially condemned.[1] In other cultures, people mostly choose their own partner.

History

edit

Arranged marriages were the norm throughout the world until the 18th century.[2] Typically, marriages were arranged by parents, grandparents or other close relatives and trusted friends. Some historical exceptions are known, such as courtship and betrothal rites during the Renaissance period of Italy[3] and Gandharva Vivah in the Vedic period in the Indian subcontinent.[4]

Marriage in Greco-Roman antiquity was based on social responsibility. Marriages were usually arranged by the parents; on occasion professional matchmakers were used. For the marriage to be legal, the woman's father or guardian had to give permission to a suitable man who could afford to marry. Orphaned daughters were usually married to cousins. The couple participated in a ceremony which included rituals such as removal of the veil. A man was typically limited to only one wife, though he could have as many mistresses as he could afford.[citation needed]

In China, arranged marriages (baoban hunyin, 包办婚姻) – sometimes called blind marriages (manghun, 盲婚) – were the norm before the mid-20th century. A marriage was a negotiation and decision between parents and other older members of two families. The boy and girl were typically told to get married, without a right to demur, even if they had never met each other until the wedding day.[5][6][7]

Arranged marriages were the norm in Russia before the early 20th century, most of which were endogamous.[8]

Until the first half of the 20th century, arranged marriages were common in migrant families in the United States.[9] They were sometimes called "picture-bride marriages" among Japanese-American immigrants because the bride and groom knew each other only through the exchange of photographs before the day of their marriage. These marriages among immigrants were typically arranged by parents or close relatives from the country of their origin. As immigrants settled in and melded into a new culture, arranged marriages shifted first to quasi-arranged marriages where parents or friends made introductions and the couple met before the marriage; over time, the marriages among the descendants of these immigrants shifted to autonomous marriages driven by individual's choice, dating and courtship preferences, and an increase in marrying outside of their own ethnic group.[9][10] Similar historical dynamics are claimed in other parts of the world.[11][12]

Arranged marriages have declined in countries where forced marriages were politically outlawed (e.g. Imperial Russia or Japan) or in a prosperous countries with more social mobility and increasing individualism; nevertheless, arranged marriages might still be seen in countries of Europe and North America, among royal families, aristocrats and minority religious groups such as in placement marriage among Fundamentalist Mormon groups of the United States. In most other parts of the world, arranged marriages continue to varying degrees and increasingly in quasi-arranged form, along with autonomous marriages.[2]

Enforcement

edit

In some communities, especially in rural parts of the Middle East, North Africa, and South Asia, a woman who refuses to go through with an arranged marriage, tries to leave an arranged marriage via divorce, or is suspected of any kind of "immoral" behaviour may be considered to have dishonored her entire family. Male relatives may be ridiculed or harassed, and any of the woman's siblings may find it impossible to enter into a marriage. In these cases, killing the woman is a way for the family to enforce the institution of arranged marriages. Unlike cases of domestic violence, honor killings are often done publicly and there are frequently family members involved in the act.[13]

Comparison

edit

Marriages have been categorized into four groups in scholarly studies:[2]

  • Forced arranged marriage: parents or guardians select, the individuals are neither consulted nor have any say before the marriage
 
Wedding of Emperor Pedro I of Brazil to Amélie of Leuchtenberg in the Imperial Chapel in 1829, three years after the death of his first wife Maria Leopoldina of Austria
  • Consensual arranged marriage: parents or guardians select, then the individuals are consulted, who consider and consent, and each individual has the power to refuse; sometimes, the individuals meet – in a family setting or privately – before engagement and marriage as in shidduch custom among Orthodox Jews
  • Self-selected marriage: individuals select, then parents or guardians are consulted, who consider and consent, and where parents or guardians have the power of veto.
  • Autonomous marriage: individuals select, the parents or guardians are neither consulted nor have any say before the marriage

Gary Lee and Lorene Stone suggest that most adult marriages in recent modern history are somewhere on the scale between consensual arranged and autonomous marriage, in part because marriage is a social institution. Similarly, Broude and Greene, after studying 142 cultures worldwide, have reported that 130 cultures have elements of arranged marriage.[14]

Extreme examples of forced arranged marriage have been observed in some societies, particularly in child marriages of girls below age 12. Illustrations include vani which is currently seen in some tribal/rural parts of Pakistan, and Shim-pua marriage Taiwan before the 1970s (Tongyangxi in China).[15]

Types

edit

There are many kinds of arranged marriages. Some of these are:[16][17][18][19]

  • Arranged exogamous marriage: is one where a third party finds and selects the bride and groom irrespective of their social, economic and cultural group.
  • Arranged endogamous marriage: is one where a third party finds and selects the bride and groom from a particular social, economic and cultural group.
  • Consanguineous marriage: is a type of arranged endogamous marriage.[19] It is one where the bride and groom share a grandparent or near ancestor. Examples of these include first cousin marriages, uncle-niece marriages, second cousin marriages, and so on. The most common consanguineous marriages are first cousin marriages, followed by second cousin and uncle-niece marriages. Between 25 and 40% of all marriages in parts of Saudi Arabia and Pakistan are first cousin marriages; while overall consanguineous arranged marriages exceed 65 to 80% in various regions of North Africa and Central Asia.[20][21]

The bride and groom in all of the above types of arranged marriages usually do have the right to consent; if the bride or the groom or both do not have a right to consent, it is called a forced marriage. Forced marriages are not the same as arranged marriages; these forced arrangements do not have the full and free consent of both parties, and no major world religion advocates for forced marriages. Arranged marriages are commonly associated with religion; a few people in some religions practice this form of marriage the religion does not promote it.

According to The Hindu Marriage Act, 1955 of India, non-consensual marriages and marriages where either the bridegroom is below the age of 21 years or the bride is below the age of 18 are prohibited for the Hindus, Buddhist, Sikhs and Jains.[citation needed]

Non-consanguineous arranged marriage is one where the bride and groom do not share a grandparent or near ancestor. This type of arranged marriages is common in Hindu and Buddhist South Asia, Southeast Asia, East Asia and Christian Latin America and sub-Saharan Africa.[22] Consanguineous marriages are against the law in many parts of United States and Europe.[23] In the United Kingdom uncle-niece marriages are considered incestuous and are illegal, but cousin marriages are not forbidden, although there have been calls to ban first-cousin marriages due to health concerns. While consanguineous arranged marriages are common and culturally preferred in some Islamic countries and among migrants from Muslim countries to other parts of the world, they are culturally forbidden or considered undesirable in most Christian, Hindu and Buddhist societies.[24] Consanguineous arranged marriages were common in Jewish communities before the 20th century, but have declined to less than 10% in modern times.[25][26]

Forced vs. arranged marriages

edit

Forced marriages and arranged marriages are distinct practices prevalent in various cultures, each characterized by unique principles and implications. Forced marriage entails coercion, where one or both parties are compelled into marriage against their will, often through emotional manipulation, threats, or physical violence. This practice disregards individual autonomy and consent, leading to profound emotional distress and violation of human rights. In contrast, arranged marriage involves familial or societal intervention in selecting a spouse for one or both individuals based on cultural, religious, or social considerations. However, the consent of the individuals involved remains most important in arranged marriages, distinguishing them from forced unions. Arranged marriages may involve input from the prospective spouses, allowing them a degree of agency in the process, although within the framework of familial or societal expectations. Thus, while both forced and arranged marriages involve external influences in partner selection, the pivotal disparity lies in the presence or absence of consent, underscoring the ethical and moral implications inherent in each practice. Within a news article, Professor Burns, the Anti-Slavery Australia diretor states, “Arranged marriages are widely practiced in Australia, and there are many people who have been married after being introduced by a family member or member of the community — but ultimately, the couple decides whether they want to marry. A forced marriage is the opposite. There is no complete and free consent.” (Kassis, 2023).[27] Ultimately, the critical distinction between forced and arranged marriages lies in the presence or absence of consent. Forced marriage represents a violation of individual autonomy and human rights, characterized by coercion and lack of consent. In contrast, arranged marriage, when conducted ethically and with respect for the agency of the individuals involved, can offer a pathway to union that aligns with cultural and familial values while still honoring the importance of consent and personal choice.

Arranged matchmaking in India

edit

For matchmakers, traditionally called nayan, in India it is customary for them to be a family friend or a distant relative. Some people however do not prefer to use a matchmaker. As stated by Santana Flanigan, "Some families with marriageable age children may prefer not to approach possible matches with a marriage proposal because communication between families could break down, and could result in accidental disrespect between the two families."[28] This person is a neutral matchmaker when families are trying to plan an arranged marriage. The nayan usually has two roles that they play: one is as a marriage scout and the other is as a negotiator. As a marriage scout, the matchmaker goes out into the community and tries to find a potential match for the person who wants to get married. As a negotiator, the matchmaker talks to different families and tries to come to a common ground about a potential arranged marriage between two families. While going about this process the matchmaker takes into account several different considerations including but not limited to family background, financial status, and family reputation. Once the nayan finds a match they will get in contact with the families and start to arrange communication between the future couple. Communication starts strictly from the matchmaker to the two people and their families. Eventually, families will begin to communicate with each other while also allowing the new couple to communicate with one another. After the families have talked about the marriage and made wedding plans the matchmakers come back to help in the process of the wedding. The help offered by the nayan can come in the form of jewelry or wedding setup. Usually, the matchmaker does not receive any pay for the work that they have done but will often be given gifts from the families of the new couple.

Causes and prevalence

edit

Over human history through modern times, the practice of arranged marriages has been encouraged by a combination of factors, such as the practice of child marriage,[29] late marriage, tradition,[30][31] culture, religion, poverty and limited choice, disabilities,[32] wealth and inheritance issues, politics, social and ethnic conflicts.[33][34][35]

Child marriage

edit
 
"Marriage à-la-mode" by William Hogarth: a satire on arranged marriages and prediction of ensuing disaster

Child marriage does not prepare or provide the individual much opportunity to make an informed, free choice about matrimony. They are implicitly arranged marriages.[36] In rural areas of East Asia, Sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia and Latin America, poverty and lack of options, such as being able to attend school, leave little choice to children other than be in early arranged marriages.[29] Child marriages are primarily seen in areas of poverty. Parents arrange child marriages to ensure their child's financial security and reinforce social ties. They believe it offers protection and reduces the daughter's economic burden on the family due to how costly it is to feed, clothe and (optionally) educate a girl. By marrying their daughter to a good family, the parents improve their social status by establishing a social bond between each other.[37]

According to Warner, in nations with the high rates of child marriages, the marriage of the girl is almost always arranged by her parents or guardians.[38] The nations with the highest rates of arranged child marriages are: Niger, Chad, Mali, Bangladesh, Guinea, Central African Republic, Afghanistan, Yemen, India and Pakistan. Arranged child marriages are also observed in parts of the Americas.[39][40]

Poverty

edit

In impoverished communities, every adult mouth to feed becomes a continuing burden. In many of these cultures, women have difficulty finding gainful employment (or are simply prohibited from doing so), and their daughters become the greatest burden to the family. Some scholars argue that arranging a marriage of a daughter becomes a necessary means to reduce this burden.[41] Poverty, stemming from poor decisions therefore is a consequent driver of arranged marriage.

This theory[42][43] is supported by the observed rapid drop in arranged marriages in fast growing economies of Asia. The financial benefit parents receive from their working single daughters has been cited[44] as a reason for their growing reluctance to see their daughters marry at too early an age.

Late marriage

edit

Late marriage, particularly past the age of 30 years old, reduces the pool of available women for autonomous marriages. Introductions and arranged marriages become a productive option.[45]

For example, in part due to economic prosperity, about 40% of modern Japanese women reach the age of 29 and have never been married. To assist late marriages, the traditional custom of arranged marriages called miai-kekkon is re-emerging. It involves the prospective bride and groom, family, friends and a matchmaker (nakōdo, 仲人); the pair is selected by a process with the individuals and family involved (iegara, 家柄). Typically the couple meets three times, in public or private, before deciding if they want to get engaged.[46][47][48]

Limited choices

edit

Migrant minority ethnic populations have limited choice of partners, particularly when they are stereotyped, segregated or avoided by the majority population. This encourages homogamy and arranged marriages within the ethnic group. Examples of this dynamic include Sikh marriages between 1910 and 1980 in Canada,[49] arranged marriages among Hasidic Jews,[50][51] and arranged marriages among Japanese American immigrants before the 1960s, who would travel back to Japan to marry the spouse arranged by the family, and then return married. In other cases, a girl from Japan would arrive in the United States as a picture bride, pre-arranged to marry the Japanese American man on arrival, whom she had never met.[52]

Custom

edit

Arranged marriage may be the consequence of certain customs. For example, in rural and tribal parts of Pakistan and Afghanistan, disputes, unpaid debts in default and crimes such as murder are settled by a council of village elders, called jirga.[53] A typical punishment for a crime committed by males involves requiring the guilty family to marry their virgin girls between 5 and 12 year old to the other family. This custom requires no consent from the girl, or even her parents. Such arranged child marriages are called vani, swara and sak in different regional languages of Pakistan.[54][55][56]

Another custom in certain Islamic nations,[57][58] such as Pakistan, is watta satta, where a brother-sister pair of one family are swapped as spouses for a brother-sister pair of another family. In other words, the wife is also the sister-in-law for the males in two families. This custom inherently leads to arranged form of marriage. About 30% of all marriages in western rural regions of Pakistan are by custom watta-satta marriages, and 75% of these Muslim marriages are between cousins and other blood relatives.[59][60][61] Some immigrant families prefer customary practice of arranged marriage.[62]

 
In 1770, Empress Maria Theresa sent 14-year-old Maria Antonia to France to marry Louis-Auguste[63]

Politics

edit
 
The arranged marriage in 1697, of Marie Adélaïde of Savoy, age 12 to Louis, Duke of Burgundy, heir apparent to the throne of France, as a result of the Treaty of Turin (1696). The marriage created an alliance between Louis XIV of France and the Duke of Savoy.

Arranged marriages across feudal lords, city states and kingdoms, as a means of establishing political alliances, trade and peace were common in human history.[48][64][65] When a king married his son to a neighboring state's daughter, it indicated an alliance among equals, and signaled the former's state superiority. For example, the fourth daughter of Maria Theresa, Archduchess of Austria and Queen of Hungary, Marie Antoinette, married the dauphin (crown prince) of France, who would become King Louis XVI.[63]

Politics within arranged marriages can manifest through negotiating and navigating familial, societal, and cultural expectations surrounding the union. In many cultures where arranged marriages are prevalent, considerations such as family status, wealth, social connections, and even political alliances may influence the selection of a spouse. The decision-making process often involves the individuals directly involved and their families, who may seek to align the marriage with their interests and aspirations. On the other hand, an article within The Wire states, “The financial aspect on the other hand is a newer addition which entails a girl's professional ambitions and earning capacity. It is because a greater number of Indian women are pursuing professional degrees and subsequent employment. More importantly, due to a rise in the standard of living of an average Indian middle class couple that it has become essential for both spouses to earn. However, a word of caution doing the rounds within the groom community is that ambition combined with financial independence is a lethal combination; hence, it is essential to nip it in the bud.” (Dhoop, 2018).[66] Additionally, political factors outside the immediate family sphere, such as community dynamics or broader societal norms, can further shape the parameters of arranged marriages. Consequently, the power, influence, and negotiation dynamics within arranged marriages can reflect complex interplays between personal desires, familial expectations, and external pressures, underscoring the intricate relationship between marriage and politics in diverse cultural contexts. Moreover, arranged marriages can intersect with political ideologies, particularly in contexts where cultural traditions intersect with state policies. In societies where arranged marriages are deeply entrenched, governments may seek to regulate or promote such unions as a means of preserving cultural identity or social cohesion. Conversely, movements advocating for individual rights and autonomy may challenge the practice of arranged marriages, framing it as an infringement on personal freedom and agency. The interplay between political ideologies, state interventions, and cultural practices can profoundly shape the dynamics of arranged marriages, influencing everything from the selection process to the power dynamics within the marital relationship. In essence, politics within arranged marriages encompass a multifaceted interplay of personal, familial, societal, and geopolitical factors, shaping the dynamics and outcomes of these unions in complex ways. Understanding the political dimensions of arranged marriages requires an appreciation of the broader social, cultural, and historical contexts in which they occur, highlighting the intricate interconnections between marriage, power, and politics.

Real world example

edit

In Japan, many people find it very difficult to find a potential future spouse, so they have their parents arrange a marriage for them. Every so often, a matchmaking agency called “matchmaking agency Association of Parents of Marriage Proposal Information” holds an event for young people in Japan who are looking for their future spouses. This event costs the parents of these young adults 14,000 yen or $96 to attend, which is expensive. With housing being so expensive, a low-income economy, and the demanding work culture going against people in Japan, fewer Japanese people want to get married and have children. (Lau & Fukutome, 2023).[67] The economic pressures, coupled with societal shifts towards individualism and career-focused lifestyles, have led to a declining interest in marriage and child-rearing among the younger generation in Japan. Some parents are spooked at the thought of paying for their children to attend these events to make sure they can marry a higher-class citizen to have a better marriage and life together. These parents want what is best for their children, and if it means having to arrange a marriage for them, so be it. Arranged marriages remain very common in many parts of the world, including Japan. While the practice has evolved significantly over time, moving away from strictly familial arrangements towards a more relaxed way of getting to know one another and mutual consent, its presence in modern society continues. Modern arranged marriages often incorporate elements of personal choice and freedom with the opportunities to interact, date, and build relationships before committing to marriage. Arranged marriages happen all over the world every day, and they are still very prevalent in society, whether we acknowledge it or not. Although arranged marriages have changed dramatically throughout the years, they still exist and have come a long way.

Wealth and inheritance issues

edit

Throughout most of human history, marriage has been a social institution that produced children and organized inheritance of property from one generation to next. Various cultures, particularly some wealthy royals and aristocratic families, arranged marriages in part to conserve or streamline the inheritance of their wealth.[68]

Tongyangxi, also known as Shim-pua marriage in Taiwanese – literally child or little daughter-in-law – was a tradition of arranged marriage, in which a poor family would arrange and marry a pre-adolescent daughter into a richer family as a servant.[69] The little girl provided slave-like free labor, and also the daughter-in-law to the adoptive family's son. This sort of arranged marriage, in theory, enabled the girl to escape poverty and the wealthy family to get free labor and a daughter-in-law. Zhaozhui was a related custom by which a wealthy family that lacked an heir would arrange marriage of a boy child from another family. The boy would move in with the wealthy family, take on the surname of the new family, and marry the family's daughter. Such arranged marriages helped maintain inheritance bloodlines.[70] Similar matrilocal arranged marriages to preserve wealth inheritance were common in Korea, Japan and other parts of the world.[71][72][73]

Dowries in India

edit

A dowry is a gift of money, property, or valuable items gifted to a groom by the bride's family after marriage. As stated by Santana Flanigan, "Dowries originally started as 'love' gifts after the marriages of upper caste individuals, but during the medieval period the demands for dowries became a precursor for marriage."[28] The dowry system, apart from being sexist, also has other negative side effects. In many instances, the families of women can not afford to put up a dowry for their daughters. This can cause the daughter not to get married which in turn, in severe cases, can lead to suicide or depression. When a family can not afford a dowry for their daughters, this as well can make the daughter feel like a financial burden to the family. As a result of these negative side effects, a law was passed in 1961. This law was called the Dowry Prohibition Act of 1961 and was passed in India. The Act of 1961 made it illegal for a family to demand, give, or take a dowry, and if caught, they could be punished by law. However, this act has some loose knots in terms of its rules. It is stated that the couple is allowed to have a wedding present in the form of money, clothes, or other things that do not count as a dowry. It also states that if a family does decide to give a dowry, it does not invalidate the marriage and no legal issues will be taken unless they get caught. Therefore, giving a dowry is illegal by law but many people still find ways to give them. They found these ways by finding the loopholes in The Dowry Prohibition Act of 1961. For example, the family will gift gifts of large sums of money to the couple as a wedding gift, this money to some, may be seen as a dowry, and since giving money as a wedding gift is allowed this may be considered a loophole. According to Lodhia at Britannica, “In 1984…it was changed to specify that presents given to a bride or a groom at the time of a wedding are allowed.”[74] This correction to The Dowry Prohibition Act of 1961 made things more specific. The corrections made it so that when the married couple received wedding gifts they had to document the gift, who gave it to them, the relation of the person to the couple, and how much the gift was worth. This made it easier to track if a couple did receive a dowry versus if it was a wedding gift. After 1984 even more additions were made. In the Indian Penal Code modifications were made to help female victims of dowry-related violence. Dowry-related violence is when the groom's family demands a dowry from the bride's family before, during, or after the marriage. These acts of violence only affect the women in the marriage and can often be very brutal. According to The Advocates For Human Rights, “The most common forms of dowry-related violence are physical violence, marital rape, acid attacks, and wife burning (where a woman is covered in kerosene or some other accelerant and deliberately set on fire).” [75] These violent attacks result from the bride's family not wanting to or being unable to pay a dowry that the groom's family has demanded.

Bride-wealth

edit

In many cultures, particularly in parts of Africa and the Middle East, daughters are valuable on the marriage market because the groom and his family have to (not must) pay cash or property for the right to marry the daughter. This is referred to as "bride-wealth" or by various names such as Lobola and Wine Carrying.[76][77] The bride-wealth is typically kept by the bride's family, after the marriage, and is a source of income to poor families. The brother(s), father, and male relatives of the bride typically take keen interest in arranging her marriage to a man who is willing to pay the most wealth in exchange for the right to marry her.[78][79]

Religion

edit

Some religious denominations recognize marriages only within the faith. Of the major religions of the world, Islam forbids marriage of girls of a devout parent to a man who does not belong to that religion. In other words, Islam forbids marriage of Muslim girls to non-Muslim men,[80] and the religious punishment for those who marry outside might be severe.[81] This is one of the motivations of arranged marriages in Islamic minority populations in Europe.[82][83]

Arranged marriage is practiced by members of the Apostolic Christian Church, an Anabaptist denomination of Christianity:[84]

The marriage process in the Apostolic Christian Church begins with a brother in the faith deciding that it is time for him to be married. The brother makes it a matter of prayer that God will show him who is to be his wife. Once a sister in the faith is selected the brother speaks to his father about it. With the father's blessing the brother then takes his proposal to the Elder, or leader, of his local church. If the local Elder feels the request is reasonable and that the brother's spiritual life is in order, he will forward the request to the Elder of the prospective bride's church. If this Elder feels that the request is reasonable and that their spiritual lives are in order, then the proposal is forwarded to the father of the prospective bride. If the father is in agreement then the proposal is forwarded to the sister in the faith. She is to them make it a matter of prayer to determine if it is God's will that she marry this brother in the faith. If she agrees, then the proposal is announced to their respective home churches. Marriages generally follow short engagement periods, as strict church discipline, including excommunication, is applied to those who have premarital relations.[84]

Since religion is important in the Hindu community, parents often find spouses that have the same religion for their children. When two people with different religions fall in love, one must convert to the other's religion, forsaking their own.[85] It is socially unacceptable for people to intermarry, which is why parents arranging a marriage for their children will make sure they marry someone from the same faith. Hindus favor religious segregation, so many of them do not keep friendships with those from other religions. A study shows that 45% of Hindus only have friends who have the same religion as them and 13 percent have friends with different religions.[86] This trains children to only desire to be around those of the same religion since intermingling of religious friendships and marriages are not too common. Furthermore, the people must marry within their caste system and most have a specific type of religion. They are taught this from a young age and it is considered one of the most important rules. When love outside of a person's caste happens, the parents sometimes threaten to kill the lover.[87] Families fear of the opinions of the public is another reason why parents forbid their children from marrying outside their caste. The lowest, known as the untouchables, are seen as unclean and they are not even allowed to walk past someone from a higher caste because of fear that they will defile them.

Controversy

edit

Arranged marriages are actively debated amongst scholars, as many question whether arranged marriages are being used to abuse the international immigration system. Arranged marriages can also be seen as an inherent violation to human rights - particularly women's rights.[88] Scholars often wonder if arranged marriages are more stable and suitable for raising children,[89] and question whether the married couple can still experience a loving, respectful relationship.[90]

Sham marriages

edit

In the United Kingdom, public discussion[91] has questioned whether international arranged marriages are carried out without the couple's intention to live together. They suspect that some arranged marriages are born out of the intention to gift residency and European citizenship to immigrants who would otherwise be denied a visa to enter the country. These fears have been further stoked by observed divorces once the minimum married residence period requirement is met. MP Ann Cryer has alleged examples of such abuse by West Asian Muslim families in her motion to the UK's House of Commons.[92] The United States has seen a similar controversy with sham arranged marriages.[93][94]

Human rights

edit

Various international organizations, including UNICEF, have campaigned for laws to ban arranged marriages of children, as well as forced marriages.[95] Article 15 and 16 of The Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) specifically cover marriage and family law, which support such a ban.[96][97]

Arranged marriages are a matter of debate and disagreements. Activists, such as Charlotte Bunch, suggest that marriages arranged by parents and other family members typically assume heterosexual preference and involve emotional pressure; this drives some individuals into marriages that they consent to under duress.[88] Bunch suggests that all marriages should be autonomous.

In contrast, preventing arranged marriages may harm many individuals who want to get married and can benefit from parental participation in finding and selecting a mate. For example, Willoughby suggests[90] that arranged marriages work because they remove anxiety from the process of finding a spouse. Parents, families, and friends provide an independent perspective when they participate in learning and evaluating the other person's history and behavior, as well as the couple's mutual compatibility. Willoughby further suggests that parents and family members provide more than input in the screening and selection process; often, they provide financial support for the wedding, housing, emotional support, and other valuable resources for the couple as they navigate married life, like childcare.

Michael Rosenfeld asserts that the differences between autonomous marriages and arranged marriages are empirically small; many people meet, date, and choose to marry or cohabit with those who are similar in background, age, interests and social class they feel most similar to - screening factors most parents would have used for them anyway. Assuming the pool from which mates are screened and selected is large, Rosenfeld suggests that the differences between the two approaches to marriages are not as great as some imagine them to be.[90] Others have expressed sentiments similar to Rosenfeld.[98]

Laws in the United States

edit

The United States has some very clean and concrete[according to whom?] laws about arranged and forced marriages. According to the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services, “forced marriage can happen to individuals of any race, ethnicity, religion, gender, sex, age, immigration status, or national origin. It can happen to individuals from any economic or educational background."[99] This usually happens because of religious, cultural, or social status reasons. In most cases, the families of both parties feel that the two people should get married for many different reasons, but the participants who are to be married do not want to get married. In the United States, forced marriages are not permitted at all and can be grounds for prosecution. According to The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services, “...in all U.S. states, people who force someone to marry may be charged with violating state laws, including those against domestic violence, child abuse, rape, assault, kidnapping, threats of violence, stalking, or coercion." [99] In an arranged marriage, the families of the individuals help to choose the marriage partner but overall will not force marriage upon anyone if they do not want to get married. The role of family members and their degree of involvement, therefore, is often used to distinguish between an arranged marriage and a forced marriage. For forced marriages, the family plays a part in choosing the individual the person will marry, and the participant has no agency in the matter. The United States Government is against forced marriage and sees it as a human rights abuse.[100]

Stability

edit

Divorce rates have climbed in the European Union and the United States with increase in autonomous marriage rates. The lowest divorce rates in the world are in cultures with high rates of arranged marriages such as the Amish culture of the United States (1%),[101] Hindus of India (3%),[90] and Ultra-Orthodox Jews of Israel (7%).[102] According to a 2012 study by Statistic Brain, 53.25% of marriages are arranged worldwide. The global divorce rate for arranged marriages was 6.3%, which could be an indicator for the success rate of arranged marriages.[103] This has led scholars to ask if arranged marriages are more stable than autonomous marriages, and whether this stability matters. Others suggest that the low divorce rate may not reflect stability, but that it instead illustrates the difficulty of the divorce process. Furthermore, individuals may experience social ostracism upon divorce, leading them to choose to live in a dysfunctional marriage rather than face the consequences of a divorce.[90] Also, the perception of high divorce rates attributed to self-arranged marriages in the United States is being called into question.[104]

Love and respect in arranged versus autonomous marital life

edit

Various small sample surveys have been performed to ascertain if arranged marriages or autonomous marriages have a more satisfying married life. The results are mixed – some state marriage satisfaction is higher in autonomous marriages, while others find no significant differences.[105] Johnson and Bachan have questioned the small sample size and conclusions derived from them.[106]

Scholars[90][107] ask whether love and respect in marital life is greater in arranged marriages than autonomous marriages. Epstein suggests that, in many arranged marriages, love emerges over time. Neither autonomous nor arranged marriages offer any guarantees. Many arranged marriages also end up being cold and dysfunctional as well, with reports of abuse.[108][109][110]

In some cultures where arranged marriages are common, there is a higher inequality between men and women. Some believe that those in arranged marriages might have a more satisfying union, since they have realistic expectations and are not clouded by emotion when going into the marriage; others believe the arrangement can lead to unhappiness and discontentment in the marriage.[111] Although people who are in autonomous marriages may look at arranged marriages as forced, results have shown that many people enter arranged marriages of their own free will. According to one study, the divorce rate was 4% for arranged marriages, while in the U.S., 40% of autonomous marriages ended in divorce.[112] There have also been questions about sexual gratification; in Japan, it was reported that the men in arranged marriages were more sexually satisfied, while in autonomous marriages, the partners experienced roughly the same amount of satisfaction.[113] In India, there showed to be an equal amount of compassionate love shown between arranged marriages and autonomous marriages.

See also

edit

References

edit
  1. ^ "UN General Assembly adopts 2nd resolution on child, early and forced marriage". Girls Not Brides. December 2016. Retrieved March 23, 2018.
  2. ^ a b c O'Brien, Jodi, ed. (2008). Encyclopedia of Gender and Society. Vol. 1. SAGE Publishing. pp. 40–42. ISBN 978-1412909167 – via Internet Archive.
  3. ^ "Courtship and Betrothal in the Italian Renaissance". metmuseum.org.
  4. ^ The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Hinduism: A-M, James G. Lochtefeld (2001), ISBN 978-0823931798, Page 427
  5. ^ Fricke, Chang, and Yang. (1994). Historical and Ethnographic Perspectives on the Chinese family. Social Change and the Family in Taiwan. Arland Thornton and Lin, Hui-Sheng. Chicago and London, The University of Chicago Press: 22–48
  6. ^ Rong, Pan (2004). "Why Being Single? A Research for the Delayed Marriage Among People (Aged 25-35) in Shanghai, China". Archived from the original on 13 January 2023. Retrieved 13 January 2023.
  7. ^ Lu, M.C.W. (2008). "Gender, marriage and migration : contemporary marriages between mainland China and Taiwan". Archived from the original on 21 October 2022. Retrieved 13 January 2023.
  8. ^ Hutton, M. J. (2001). Russian and West European Women, 1860–1939: Dreams, Struggles, and Nightmares. because political reasons. Rowman & Littlefield Publishers; see Chapter 1
  9. ^ a b Harry Reis and Susan Sprecher, Encyclopedia of Human Relationships, SAGE Publications, ISBN 978-1412958462, pages 113–117
  10. ^ Ghimire et al. (2006), Social change, premarital family experience and spouse choice in an arranged marriage society, American Journal of Sociology, 111, pages 1181–1218
  11. ^ Xiaohe and Whyte (1990), Love matches and arranged marriages: A Chinese replication, Journal of Marriage and the Family, 52, pages 709–722
  12. ^ Tekce (2004), Paths of marriage in Istanbul: arranging choices and choice in arrangements, Ethnography, 5, pages 173–201
  13. ^ Chesler, Phyllis; Bloom, Nathan (2012-06-01). "Hindu vs. Muslim Honor Killings". Middle East Quarterly.
  14. ^ Broude, Gwen J..; Greene, Sarah J. (July 1983). "Cross-cultural codes on Husband-Wife Relationships". Ethnology. 22 (3): 263–280. doi:10.2307/3773467. JSTOR 3773467.[failed verification]
  15. ^ MDiv, Edward W. Kaleefey BA (2018-03-29). "Recalculating" Marriage: God's Direction to a Moral Marriage. WestBow Press. ISBN 978-1-9736-2165-2.
  16. ^ Ghimire, D. J., Axinn, W. G., Yabiku, S. T., & Thornton, A. (2006). Social Change, Premarital Nonfamily Experience, and Spouse Choice in an Arranged Marriage Society1. American Journal of Sociology, 111(4), pages 1181–1218
  17. ^ Jones, G. (2010). Changing marriage patterns in Asia, Asia Research Institute Working Paper No. 131
  18. ^ Shaw, A. (2001). Kinship, cultural preference, and immigration: consanguineous marriage among British Pakistanis. Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute, 7(2), pages 315–334
  19. ^ a b Joseph, S. E. (2007). Kissing Cousins. Current Anthropology, 48(5), pages 756–764
  20. ^ R. Hussain (1999), Community perceptions of reasons for preference for consanguineous marriages in Pakistan, Journal of Biosocial Science, 31, pages 449–461
  21. ^ Consanguineous marriages Archived 2015-09-24 at the Wayback Machine Brecia Young (2006)
  22. ^ Derek F. Roberts, N. Fujiki, K. Torizuka, Kanji Torizuka (Editors), see Imaizumi, Y. O. K. O. (1992). Factors influencing the frequency of consanguineous marriages in Japan (pages 29–40). Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press; ISBN 978-0521419123
  23. ^ Bittles, A. H. (2003). The bases of Western attitudes to consanguineous marriage. Developmental Medicine & Child Neurology, 45(2), pages 135–138
  24. ^ Alan Bittles, Consanguinity in Context (Cambridge Studies in Biological and Evolutionary Anthropology), Cambridge University Press, ISBN 978-0521781862
  25. ^ Jewish Encyclopedia (1906), see the article on CONSANGUINITY AMONG JEWS; also see Jacobs, Studies in Jewish Statistics, pp. 1–9, London, 1891;
  26. ^ Cohen et al., Consanguinity, intracommunity and intercommunity marriages in a population sample of Israeli Jews, Ann Hum Biol. 2004 Jan–Feb;31(1), pages 38–48
  27. ^ "Meet Preeti and Heena – Indian matchmakers set on finding the love of your life". ABC News. 2023-06-02. Retrieved 2024-06-18.
  28. ^ a b "Arranged Marriages, Matchmakers, and Dowries in India – Postcolonial Studies". scholarblogs.emory.edu. Retrieved 2023-10-22.
  29. ^ a b "Child marriages: 39,000 every day". 2013-03-14. Archived from the original on 2013-03-14. Retrieved 2023-01-13.
  30. ^ "UNHCR's Eligibility Guidelines for Assessing the International Protection Needs of Afghan Asylum-Seekers" (PDF). 2007. pp. 45–46. Archived from the original (PDF) on 1 July 2022.
  31. ^ Early Marriage as a barrier to Girl's Education Archived July 18, 2013, at the Wayback Machine Jeannette Bayisenge, Rwanda (2008)
  32. ^ Ghai, A. (2001). Marginalisation and disability: experiences from the Third World. Disability and the life course: Global perspectives, pages 26–37
  33. ^ Amt, Emilie (1993), Women's Lives in Medieval Europe, New York, Routledge
  34. ^ Máiréad Enright, Choice, Culture and the Politics of Belonging: The Emerging Law of Forced and Arranged Marriage, The Modern Law Review, Volume 72, Issue 3, pages 331–359, May 2009
  35. ^ Carol Ember and Melvin Ember, Encyclopedia of Sex and Gender: Men and Women in the World's Cultures Topics and Cultures, Volume 2, ISBN 978-0306477706, pages 71–77
  36. ^ Gupta, G. R. (1976). Love, arranged marriage, and the Indian social structure. Journal of Comparative Family Studies, 7(1), pages 75–85
  37. ^ Nour, Nawal M (2009-01-01). "Child Marriage: A Silent Health and Human Rights Issue". Reviews in Obstetrics and Gynecology. 2 (1): 51–56. ISSN 1941-2797. PMC 2672998. PMID 19399295.
  38. ^ Warner, Elizabeth (2004), Behind the wedding veil: Child marriage as a form of trafficking in girls. American U Journal Gender Soc. Policy & Law, 12, pages 233–270
  39. ^ Chawkins, Steve (January 15, 2009). "Teen's arranged marriage is allowed in native Mexico". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on January 19, 2009.
  40. ^ PARSONS, LARRY (2009-01-12). "California dad accused of selling girl to teen for cash, beer". Chron. Retrieved 2023-01-13.
  41. ^ Engel, J. W. (1984). Marriage in the People's Republic of China: Analysis of a new law. Journal of Marriage and the Family, pages 955–961
  42. ^ The "Flight from Marriage" in South-East and East Asia Archived 2016-11-09 at the Wayback Machine Gavin Jones, Singapore (2011)
  43. ^ Salaff, J. (1976) 'The status of unmarried Hong Kong women and the social factors contributing to their delayed marriage', Population Studies, 30(3), pages 391–412
  44. ^ Jones (1997) 'The demise of universal marriage in East and South-East Asia', in G.W. Jones, R.M. Douglas, J.C. Caldwell and R. D'Souza (eds.), The Continuing Demographic Transition, Oxford Clarendon Press
  45. ^ Retherford, R. D., Ogawa, N., & Matsukura, R. (2001). Population and Development Review, 27(1), pages 65–102
  46. ^ "Omiai and Miai-gekkon, Arranged Marriages in Japan". hanamiweb.com. 6 November 2007. Archived from the original on 24 July 2013. Retrieved 27 September 2017.
  47. ^ Applbaum, K.D. (1995) Marriage with the proper stranger – arranged marriage in metropolitan Japan, Ethnology, 34, 37–51
  48. ^ a b Hendry, Joy (2010), Marriage in Changing Japan: Community & Society (Vol. 4), Taylor & Francis
  49. ^ Kurian, G. (1991). "South Asians in Canada". International Migration. 29 (3): 421–433. doi:10.1111/j.1468-2435.1991.tb01029.x.
  50. ^ Hasidism in America Public Broadcasting Service, United States (2002)
  51. ^ "Hasidism: Everyday Life". yivoencyclopedia.org. Retrieved 2023-01-13.
  52. ^ "Five Views: A History of Japanese Americans in California". 2000-06-03. Archived from the original on 2000-06-03. Retrieved 2023-01-13.
  53. ^ "Vani verdict". The Express Tribune. 2012-10-09. Retrieved 2023-01-13.
  54. ^ Nasrullah, M., Muazzam, S., Bhutta, Z. A., & Raj, A. (2013). Girl Child Marriage and Its Effect on Fertility in Pakistan: Findings from Pakistan Demographic and Health Survey, 2006–2007. Maternal and child health journal, pp 1–10
  55. ^ [ Vani a social evil] Anwar Hashmi and Rifat Koukab, The Fact (Pakistan), (July 2004)
  56. ^ Ahsan, I. (2009). PANCHAYATS AND JIRGAS (LOK ADALATS): Alternative Dispute Resolution System in Pakistan. Strengthening Governance Through Access To Justice
  57. ^ Latif, Z. (2010), The silencing of women from the Pakistani Muslim Mirpuri community in violent relationships. Honour, Violence, Women and Islam, 29
  58. ^ Beswick, S. (2012). Brian J. Peterson. Islamization from Below: The Making of Muslim Communities in Rural French Sudan, 1880–1960. The American Historical Review, 117(4), Chapter 5, pp 1329–1360
  59. ^ G., Jacoby, Hanan; Ghazala, Mansuri (February 2007). "Watta Satta : Bride Exchange and Women's Welfare in Rural Pakistan". Policy Research Working Papers. doi:10.1596/1813-9450-4126. hdl:10986/7130. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  60. ^ "Traditional marriages ignore HIV/AIDS threat". The New Humanitarian. 2007-12-06. Retrieved 2023-01-13.
  61. ^ Charsley, K. (2007), Risk, trust, gender and transnational cousin marriage among British Pakistanis, Ethnic and Racial Studies, 30(6), pp 1117–1131
  62. ^ Tarabay, Jamie (14 October 2008). "Arranged Marriage: Trapped Between Two Cultures". NPR. Archived from the original on 19 October 2022. Retrieved 13 January 2023.
  63. ^ a b "Married to France: 1770–1780". Marie Antoinette and the French Revolution. pbs.org. Retrieved 2016-05-17.
  64. ^ Harris, B. J. (1989). Power, Profit, and Passion: Mary Tudor, Charles Brandon, and the Arranged Marriage in Early Tudor England. Feminist Studies, 15(1), pages 59–88
  65. ^ Fossum, U. M. S., & Boyd, K. (2010). Arranged Marriage–A violation of human rights?. University of California, Berkeley
  66. ^ "The politics of arranged marriage in 21st Century India".
  67. ^ Lau, Chris; Fukutome, Junko (September 4, 2023). "In Japan, the young find dating so hard their parents are doing it for them". CNN.
  68. ^ Coontz, S. (2006). Marriage, a history: How love conquered marriage. Penguin
  69. ^ Judd, E. R. (1989). Niangjia: Chinese women and their natal families. Journal of Asian Studies, 48(3), pages 525–544
  70. ^ Lin Yuju (2011). "Zhaozhui son-in-law". Encyclopedia of Taiwan. Council for Cultural Affairs. Archived from the original on 2013-04-19. Retrieved 2013-09-10.
  71. ^ Martin, L. G. (1990). Changing intergenerational family relations in East Asia.The Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, pages 102–114
  72. ^ Haruko, W., & Gay, S. (1984). Marriage and property in premodern Japan from the perspective of women's history. Journal of Japanese Studies, 10(1), pages 73–99
  73. ^ Kerbo, H. R., & MacKinstry, J. A. (1995). Who rules Japan?: the inner circles of economic and political power. Greenwood Publishing Group; see pages 30–31
  74. ^ "Dowry Prohibition Act | Description & History". www.britannica.com. 2023-08-25. Retrieved 2023-10-22.
  75. ^ "Dowry-Related Violence". www.stopvaw.org. Retrieved 2023-10-22.
  76. ^ Granjo, Paulo (2004). Winning back our good luck: bridewealth in nowadays Maputo (PDF). Instituto Superior de Ciências Sociais e Políticas. Archived from the original (PDF) on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 15 September 2022.
  77. ^ "Bride price: an insult to women, a burden to men?". 2004-08-30. Retrieved 2023-01-14.
  78. ^ Margrethe Silberschmidt (1999), Women Forget that Men are the Masters, Nordic Africa Institute, ISBN 978-9171064394, pp 87
  79. ^ Stephanie Beswick (2001), " We Are Bought Like Clothes": The War Over Polygyny and Levirate Marriage in South Sudan, Northeast African Studies, 8(2), pp 35–61, Quote – "The highest bidder usually acquires the woman, and the bridewealth is made in a series of payments."
  80. ^ See:
    • Saad Ibrahim, Minority Rights Group International, The Copts of Egypt, January 1996; pages 24–25;
    • Philippe Fargues (1998), in Andrea Pacini (Editor), Christian Communities in the Arab Middle East, Oxford University Press, ISBN 0-19-829388-7, page 51;
    • Heiner Bielefeldt, Human Rights Quarterly, Volume 17, Number 4, November 1995, pages 587–617
  81. ^ See:
    • Saeed, Hassan (2004): Freedom of Religion, Apostasy and Islam. Ashgate Publishing. ISBN 978-0-7546-3082-1;
    • Altstein, Howard; Simon, Rita James (2003): Global perspectives on social issues: marriage and divorce. Lexington, Mass: LexingtonBooks. ISBN 0-7391-0588-4;
    • [Quran 60:10]
  82. ^ Coleman, D. A. (2004), Partner choice and the growth of ethnic minority populations Archived June 18, 2015, at the Wayback Machine, Bevolking en Gezin, 33(2), 7–34.
  83. ^ Razack, Sherene H. (October 2004). "Imperilled muslim women, dangerous muslim men and civilised Europeans: legal and social responses to forced marriages". Feminist Legal Studies. 12 (2): 129–174. doi:10.1023/B:FEST.0000043305.66172.92. S2CID 54832627.
  84. ^ a b Speicher, Tom (2004). A Lifetime of Church. Xulon Press. pp. 18–19. ISBN 978-1-59467-335-1.
  85. ^ "The couples on the run for love in India". BBC News. 2019-04-13. Retrieved 2022-04-13.
  86. ^ "3. Religious segregation". Pew Research Center's Religion & Public Life Project. 2021-06-29. Retrieved 2022-04-13.
  87. ^ "Why I Risked an Honor Killing to Reject an Arranged Marriage". Time. Retrieved 2022-04-13.
  88. ^ a b Bunch, Charlotte (1995). Transforming human rights from a feminist perspective, Women's Rights, Human Rights: International Feminist Perspectives (Julie Peters and Andrea Wolper Editors), pages 15–16; also see pages 157–160
  89. ^ Amato, Paul R. (2012). Institutional, Companionate, and Individualistic Marriages, Marriage at the Crossroads: Law, Policy, and the Brave New World of Twenty-First-Century Families, pages 107–124
  90. ^ a b c d e f Lee, Ji Hyun (2013-01-18). "Modern Lessons From Arranged Marriages". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2023-01-14.
  91. ^ Ralph Grillo, Marriages, arranged and forced: the UK debate; in Gender, Generations and the Family in International Migration, (Editors: Albert Kraler, Eleonore Kofman, Martin Kohli, Camille Schmoll), ISBN 978-9089642851; see Chapter 3
  92. ^ Multi-cultural sensitivity is not an excuse for moral blindness, Hansard, 10 February 1999; column 256–280
  93. ^ McHugh, Patrick (2008-11-30). "Inside the Green Card Marriage Phenomenon". CIS.org. Retrieved 2023-01-14.
  94. ^ More Wedding Ring Busts – Green-card scam probe widens Brian Harmon, New York Daily News (August 16, 2002)
  95. ^ Child Marriages Archived 2018-08-19 at the Wayback Machine UNICEF
  96. ^ Freeman, Marsha (1995). Transforming human rights from a feminist perspective, Women's Rights, Human Rights: International Feminist Perspectives (Julie Peters and Andrea Wolper Editors), pages 149–176
  97. ^ "CEDAW 29th Session 30 June to 25 July 2003". www.un.org. Retrieved 2023-01-14.
  98. ^ Jain, Anita (25 March 2005). "A Modern Indian Woman's Struggle with Arranged-Marriage - Nymag". New York Magazine. Retrieved 2023-01-14.
  99. ^ a b "Forced Marriage". www.uscis.gov. 2022-06-03. Retrieved 2023-10-23.
  100. ^ "Forced Marriage". USCIS.gov. USCIS. Retrieved 28 September 2024.
  101. ^ Winnerman, Jim (12 September 2010). "Trip back in time: the Amish in Ohio". STLtoday.com. Retrieved 2023-01-14.
  102. ^ "It's All Relative: The Contemporary Orthodox Jewish Family in America – Institute for Jewish Ideas and Ideals". jewishideas.org.
  103. ^ "Arranged / Forced Marriage Statistics – Statistic Brain". www.statisticbrain.com. Retrieved 17 May 2016.
  104. ^ Miller, Claire Cain (2 December 2014). "The Divorce Surge Is Over, but the Myth Lives On". New York Times.
  105. ^ See:
  106. ^ David R. Johnson; Lauren K. Bachan (Aug 2013). "What can we learn from studies based on small sample sizes? Comment on Regan, Lakhanpal, and Anguiano (2012)". Psychological Reports. 113 (1): 221–224. doi:10.2466/21.02.07.PR0.113x12z8. PMC 3990435. PMID 24340813.
  107. ^ Paul Amato (2012), in Marriage at the Crossroads: Law, Policy, and the Brave New World;Editors: Marsha Garrison, Elizabeth S. Scott; ISBN 978-1107018273; see Chapter 6
  108. ^ McCleery, John Tuohy and Bill. "Indian woman says arranged marriage was full of abuse". USA TODAY. Retrieved 2023-01-14.
  109. ^ "Fighting arranged marriage abuse". news.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 2023-01-14.
  110. ^ Regan, Pamela C.; Lakhanpal, Saloni; Anguiano, Carlos (June 2012). "Relationship Outcomes in Indian-American Love-Based and Arranged Marriages". Psychological Reports. 110 (3): 915–924. doi:10.2466/21.02.07.pr0.110.3.915-924. ISSN 0033-2941. PMID 22897093. S2CID 33048679.
  111. ^ Flicker, Sharon M.; Sancier-Barbosa, Flavia; Afroz, Farhana; Saif, Sumaiya N.; Mohsin, Faeqa (2019-11-14). "Marital quality in arranged and couple-initiated marriages: The role of perceived influence over partner selection". International Journal of Psychology. 55 (4): 629–637. arXiv:1709.00468. doi:10.1002/ijop.12622. ISSN 0020-7594. PMID 31729030. S2CID 208040264.
  112. ^ Page, Danielle (2017-06-30). "Why You Should Treat Marriage More Like a Business". Better by Today. Retrieved 2022-06-26.
  113. ^ Campbell, Bruce L.; Blood, Robert O. (1972). "Review of Love Match and Arranged Marriage: A Tokyo-Detroit Comparison, Robert O. Blood Jr". International Journal of Sociology of the Family. 2 (2): 264–266. ISSN 0020-7667. JSTOR 23027074.