Arranged Marriages

Marriages arranged by parents or elders in the family were the worldwide norm until the 18th century. While such marriages have declined in the West concomitant to the ascendancy of individualism and the nuclear family, vestiges are still visible among aristocrats, royalties, and minority religious groups. The practice is prevalent in many countries of Asia, the Middle East, and sub-Saharan Africa. For example, until the mid-1990s, nearly 80 percent of all marriages in India were arranged by family elders. Communities that have migrated to the West from these countries have imported the custom with them, thus converting certain pockets of Europe and North America into populations that practice arranged marriage. (Myers, 183-190)

Definition and Salient Features

Arranged marriage may be defined as a marital union in which intended spouses are selected by parents or respected elders of the bride and groom. However, the system is not homogenous and can be complex in its variations and in different social contexts. In the best of circumstances, an arranged marriage meets with the approval of all involved parties, and in the worst, it may be forced on one or both intended spouses. Arranged marriage is ubiquitously contrasted to marriage based on romantic love. As globalization of goods, information, and media affects nations, arranged marriages are transitioning to various forms of quasi-arranged marriages. Therefore, rather than viewing marriage as a dichotomy between arranged marriage and one based on romantic/passionate love, it might be more meaningful to understand it in terms of the degree of control allowed to intended spouses. Accordingly, the marriage system may be categorized as follows: (a) The bride and groom have no say in the matter; (b) the bride and groom have the power to refuse; (c) the bride and groom make the choice, but parents/elders have the power to reject; and (d) parents/elders have no say in the matter. (Zaidi, 495-514)

The evolution of the arranged marriage system may methodically occur in the above order. However, the changes in the process might not be gender symmetric; that is, the control that intended spouses are able to wield over the selection of partners might not be equal for men and women. The intended groom may be allowed to veto his elders' selection and even choose and/or express interest in a particular woman, while the intended bride may be expected to obediently and silently accept the arrangement made by her parents and elders.

Societies that practice arranged marriage believe marriage to be an alliance between families and not an individual enterprise; hence, the intended spouses have little to contribute to the decision. Concurrently, these societies make distinctions between premarital romantic and postmarital conjugal love, and the former is generally derided as selfish and imprudent. Cultures that endorse arranged marriage also emphasize familial and social obligations and collective identities and have strong prohibitions against divorce. In arranged marriages, familial relationship is given higher priority than the conjugal bond, and duties within a marriage are stressed much more than any love that might develop between the ...