The silence of traumatized husbands within their polygamous marriage is the cause of violence and suicidal acts in many families, because the unshared pain leads to irresponsible reactions that put the whole family in chaos. A historical background stephanie coontz professor of history and family studies the evergreen state college director of research and public education council on contemporary families the new hbo television show, big love, has led many people to contact the council on contemporary families for background on polygamy. The effect of polygamous marital structure on behavioral. Mormon polygamy by defining the nature and limits of what is officially, legally, and. Not even sociologists are able to agree on a single meaning. Polygamy represents expanded family structures that are based on marriages involving a husband with 2 or more wives. It has been shown that, as men who can afford to have more than wife are wealthier than men that cant, in poorer countries, the children in polygamous families have access to better and more food. The findings revealed that women from polygamous families. Pdf on jun 4, 2016, aneeza pervez and others published polygamy.
Structural and functional theory applied to families. Polygamy is defined as a form of marriage involving more than one wife or more than one. Types of family, types of family in sociology, type of. Polygamy definition of polygamy by the free dictionary. Polygamy is a sociological concept that can be addressed in a custom written research paper from paper masters. If a marriage includes multiple husbands and wives, it can be called a group marriage.
It is the simplest and most elementary group found in a society. The family is an intimate domestic group made up of people related to one another by bonds of blood, sexual mating or legal ties. Abstract while polygamy is illegal in the united states, forms of it are still practiced either overtly. On the other hand, polygamous relationships are completely different from cheating and should be treated as such. Experiences of shona men in polygamous marriages in ward four of chivi district, masvingo province, zimbabwe. Government agencies often have to define what a family is in order to determine who benefits from their program and who does not. Monogamy is still prevalent in societies and cultures that allow or promote polygamy as typically only the wealthy can afford multiple spouses. Some define a family purely in terms of sharing a household, a collection of individuals living together. Indeed, several quantitative and qualitative research articles and. For our purposes, well define marriage as a legally recognized social contract between two people, traditionally based on a sexual relationship and implying a permanence of the union. Polygamy definition is marriage in which a spouse of either sex may have more than one mate at the same time. This may eliminate the conflicts and disagreements between the wives. In this type of family one man has one wife or one woman has one husband at a given time.
How we define the family is often hotlydebated because the definition has significant consequences in peoples lives. Relating to, characterized by, or practicing polygamy. When a woman is married to more than one husband at a time, it is called polyandry. In many families, according to rivett and street 1993, extra marital affairs often result in children by one man in two households, with the man having close contact with both households. On the basis of marriage, family has been classified into two types such as monogamous and polygamous. Less than 1 percent of the men in any muslim country are polygamous. The effects of polygamy on children and adolescents.
The crime is punishable either by a fine, imprisonment, or both, according to the law of the individual state and the circumstances of the offense. Definitions of family have varied from country to country, and also within country. When a man is married to more than one wife at a time, the relationship is called polygyny. The wives have to follow the roles and rules which formed by the society. It is ridiculous to assume the children look at all of the wives as their mother. Also anyone who assists, celebrates, or is a part to a rite, ceremony, or contract that sanctions a polygamist relationship is guilty of polygamy. For instance, men have been reported as the perpetrators of the problems and violence that polygamous families go through alkrenawi et al. Polygamous article about polygamous by the free dictionary. When a man is married to more than one wife at a time, sociologists call this polygyny. In the last 2 decades, polygamy has been the focus of a significant growth in public, political, and academic awareness. Pdf using structuration theory, this study explores the division of labor in polygamous.
In this lifes extremes, we look at why some people prefer longterm relationships and are considered monogamous, while others are more promiscuous, some choosing polygamy as their lifestyle. It is through cultural practices, beliefs and also on the individuals choices that people decide to be committed to polygamy lifestyles. Polygamous families that work and move as a unit while sharing the burdens of everyday life are more effective than the lone wolves out there battling the elements alone. To become specific, polygyny is a man or woman marrying multiple women 74% of societies are known for men taking many wives, and polyandry is a woman or man marrying multiple men only about 2% of. Polygamy called plural marriage by mormons in the 19th century or the principle by modern fundamentalist practitioners of polygamy was practiced by leaders of the church of jesus christ of latterday saints lds church for more than half of the 19th century, and practiced publicly from 1852 to 1890 by between 20 and 30 percent of latterday saint families. All parties involved in these type of relationships are polygamous polygamy is a marriage or relationship which includes more than two partners. Structural and functional theory is suitable to apply in polygamous families because it needs the family roles structure and rules which form by the society. Research papers about polygamy polygamy research papers explore the islam and morman religions and their regards for the treatment of women. Polygamy can be defined as a type of marriage practice or union that involves a. Polygamy definition, the practice or condition of having more than one spouse, especially wife, at one time. Their essential function, historically, has been to contribute to the basic economic survival of family members. Polygamous families are based on plural marriages in which there are multiple wives or, in rarer cases, multiple husbands.
In almost every modern society on the planet, the higher the formal education obtained by members of a. A monogamous family is one which is consisted of one husband and one wife. Polygamous definition of polygamous by medical dictionary. In unions with more than two people, all parties are on the same page and aware of each others existence. Research papers about polygamy discuss marriage and having multiple spouses in some societies. The resulting units are called unilineal descent groups, either patrilineages or matrilineages according to the prevailing descent rule. Unilineal kinship institutions occur at over twice the incidence of. A polygamous person, especially a man, is married to more than one person. Unilineal descent many societies construct kinship groupings, roles, and relationships by tracing descent exclusively through the male patrilineal or female matrilineal line.
Towns or cities often have to define families in developing zoning and housing regulations. Polygamy, specifically polygyny and polyandry, as a marital norm is contrasted to monogamy. Sixtytwo point five percent of the women from polygamous families were senior wives their husbands first wives. This manual provides examples to show interviewers how to deal with practical issues. Polygamy is an offence punishable by up to five years in prison. Children in polygamous families again, not cult polygamists grow up knowing who their mother is and it is their mothers and fathers responsibility for primary discipline. Someone whos polygamous has more than one husband or wife. The nambudaris joint family is generally described as illom. Interestingly, polygamy is legally and widely practiced in 850 societies across the globe. Polygamous definition, of, pertaining to, characterized by, or practicing polygamy. Botany having both hermaphroditic and unisexual flowers on the same plant or on separate. In a polygamous society, people can be legally married to more than one person at the same time.
The lying, deceit, and sneaking around which occurs with unfaithful individuals is wholly different from a consensual. Polygamous societies still exist, but its more common for most people today to be married to one person at a time. Polygamous definition of polygamous by the free dictionary. The purpose of families is to maintain the wellbeing of its members and of society. Pdf polygamy remains one of the key topics in various societies. In the context of human society, a family from latin.
The matriarchal joint families are found among the nairs of malabar. In africa, the nuclear family consist of the mother, father, and their children this system is different from an extended family system, in which the household may include nonimmediate family members, such as grandparents, aunts and uncles constitutes the smallest unit of the kinship system, the. As the hundredth anniversary of the woodruff manifesto approaches, books and articles have proliferated on the topic of mormon polygamy. The effect of polygamous marital structure on behavioral, emotional, and academic adjustment in children. Polygamous definition and meaning collins english dictionary. The patriarchal joint families are found among the nambudaris of malabar, the mundus of chotanagpur and the angami nagas of assam. Polygamy increases the learning opportunities of the family unit. Polygamous definition of polygamous by merriamwebster. The theory of gender and power was used to understand some of the. Using structuration theory, this study explores the division of labor in polygamous families, specifically how families establish and maintain roles, and how family structure adjusts to changing.
It is the smallest and most basic social unit, which is also the most important primary group found in any society. Polygamy is the act of marrying multiple spouses, that means having more than one husband or wife at the same time. The condition or practice of having more than one spouse at one time. The family and family structure classification redefined. The term is the opposite of monogamy which is the more common practice of having just one spouse at any given moment. It extends the definition of polygamy to having any kind of conjugal union with more than one person at the same time.
Polygamous definition is relating to or practicing polygamy. The crime of polygamy is deemed to continue until all cohabitation with and claim of marriage to more than one spouse terminate. Polygamy remains one of the key topics in various societies. Mormon polygamy by defining the nature and limits of what is officially. The sample consisted of 6 women, 64 from polygamous families and 72 from monogamous families. Because of this and the changing realities of the current times, there is a felt need for redefining the family and the common. Ideally, families would offer predictability, structure, and safety as members mature and participate in the community. These families may live in nuclear or extended family households and they may or may not be close to each other spatially see discussion of households below. Impact of a polygamous marriage on children and family. Polygamy, which is defined as the practice of having more than one spouse, is a common, and widespread, socially as well as culturally accepted phenomenon in many african countries 1,2.
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