The practice of polygamy, or having more than one spouse, has been common in many societies throughout history. Social, political, and economic considerations have justified it. Having more children to help on the farm or finding a financially stable spouse are two examples of purely economic motivations. Alliances with other families may be formed via marriage, and having numerous wives can ensure the smooth transfer of power and wealth in the event of the husband’s untimely death. Many other cultural factors come into play, such as religious or traditional views, ideas about gender roles, and the desire for male kids.
Although polygamy’s effects on gender dynamics are not uniformly negative, the practice is frequently associated with a hierarchical structure in which males have greater influence and women have fewer doors opened to them professionally and socially. The competition among wives for their husband’s time and money in polygamous civilizations may strain relationships between spouses. Furthermore, women in polygynous relationships may have obstacles to gaining an education or stable work and an increased risk of experiencing domestic violence and other types of abuse. While polygamy has been around for a long time, it has usually had a detrimental effect on gender relations, making things worse for women and restricting their options to acceptance or divorce.
Zeitzen, Miriam Koktvedgaard. Polygamy: A Cross-Cultural Analysis. Routledge, 2020.
This book is an ethnography of polygamy that takes a comparative approach to different cultures. Zeitzen focuses on the practice of polygamy both in the past and in modern times. The book discusses the role that polygamy plays in anthropological theory as well as the wide range of socio-cultural contexts in which it is practiced, spanning from the United States and the United Kingdom to Malaysia, India, and various parts of Africa and Tibet. This book discusses topics that are often challenging and contentious for contemporary polygamists, such as bigotry, HIV/AIDS, and women’s independence. It is said that different forms of polygamy, are practiced among the majority of the world’s many religions and civilizations. The astounding variety, plasticity, and adaptability of polygamy highlight the fact that it is not merely a foreign practice common in non-Western countries; rather, it is also practiced in contemporary communities in the West.
The publisher’s name is Routledge is a worldwide publisher of humanities and social sciences books, journals, and online resources. It was founded in 1836 and is currently a subsidiary of Taylor & Francis Group, one of the world’s top academic content publishers. Routledge is well-known for producing high-quality research and teaching resources in a variety of fields. The writer is a Miriam Koktvedgaard Zeitzen is a social anthropologist and professor from Denmark. Her work on polygamy, gender relations, and Islamic law and culture has earned her global recognition.
This book would be useful for the research on the polygamy as it provides an unbiased overview of the phenomenon and wide variety of its expressions and implications. It is essential for the cultural review of the polygamy, comparison of cultural perceptions and the ways to approach the subject positively as opposed to the typically conservative perceptions. An important feature of Zeitzen’s work is its multidisciplinary approach, which draws from anthropology, history, sociology, and law, among others.
Naseer, Sabila, et al. “Causes and Consequences of Polygamy: An Understanding of Coping Strategies by Co-Wives in Polygamous Marriage.” Asean Journal of Psychiatry, vol. 22, no. 9, 2021, Web.
The research studied the origins of polygamy, its effects, and women’s coping techniques for dealing with relationships amongst co-wives. Utilized was an exploratory qualitative approach. Eleven polygamous women who agreed to an in-depth interview provided data. The research was done in 2017 with the institution’s and polygamous women’s agreement (Naseer et al. 1). The majority of women have agreed for their husbands to have co-wives. The reasons cited included infertility or having only female offspring, and familial pressure from in-laws in order to avoid the shame of divorce (Naseer et al. 1). As possible hazards of polygamy, the spouse’s envy, sadness, and loneliness owing to injustice were investigated. Among the benefits of polygamy were the sharing of domestic tasks and childrearing. Polygamous women’s coping mechanisms have included religious faith, accepting their destiny, and compromising with their co-wives.
The journal is a peer-reviewed medical journal devoted to the field of psychiatry published by the ASEAN Federation of Psychiatry and Mental Health. It offers a venue for the diffusion of psychiatric and mental health care-related research, knowledge, and information in the ASEAN area. Sabila Naseer is a professor at the University of Punjab’s Institute of Applied Psychology in Lahore, Pakistan. The researchers have produced several articles and scholarly studies on polygamy and gender relations.
This is a qualitative study of the causes and consequences of polygamy. Consequently, it allows for an in-depth overview of the topic from the interviews conducted by the researchers. Since the scope of the research is limited to 11 samples from Pakistan it can be used for comparison with other sources. Moreover, the research focuses on the key aspects that serve as the motivation for the existence of group marriages in the country.
Hasan, Hamka, et al. “Polygamy: Uncovering the Effect of Patriarchal Ideology on Gender-Biased Interpretation.” HTS Teologiese Studies / Theological Studies, vol. 78, no. 4, 2022, Web.
This article examines the creation of patriarchal interpretation of polygamy in a gender-biased interpretation, as well as its causes and effects. This research is qualitative and applies a content analysis methodology. In-depth knowledge on this topic is also obtained via interviews with key academics. The goal of study is a complete collection of eleven Indonesian-authored exegeses of the Quran, known as tafsir. Through polygamy, women have been exploited, according to this research. The results indicate that biased gender interpretation, particularly due to patriarchal mentality, had a higher influence on Quranic interpretation. This research indicated that the reinterpretation of Quranic verses dealing specifically with gender problems should be reinforced in line with justice and humanistic principles.
The researchers are qualified professors of theological studies who have published articles related to the sociological, psychological influences of the religion. It was published in HTS Teologiese Studies/Theological Studies — a peer-reviewed academic journal that focuses on theology and religious studies. The journal is managed by the Faculty of Theology at the University of the Western Cape in South Africa. The journal is aimed at researchers, scholars, students, and practitioners in the field of theology and religious studies, and it covers a wide range of topics, including biblical studies, systematic theology, ethics, history of Christianity, philosophy of religion, and the study of religion in Africa.
This article is an essential piece which is integral for understanding of modern polygamy practices in Indonesia and its negative implications. It will be used to discuss the role of Quran and religion in general within polygamic relationships. In addition, it strengthens the argument against such relationship practices and serves for better understanding of strategies to exploit religion for establishment of patriarchal hierarchy.
André, Pierre, and Yannick Dupraz. “Education and Polygamy: Evidence from Cameroon.” Journal of Development Economics, 2023, p. 103068., Web.
This research set out to investigate whether or not declining polygamy in Africa may be attributed to the spread of secular education. Researchers looked at a burst of post-colonial Cameroonian public school development. Using difference-in-differences and event-study criteria, the authors demonstrate that the introduction of schools has led to an escalation in both male and female polygamy. To determine why educated women were more likely to be in a polygamous partnership, they estimated a structural model of marriage. It was discovered that marriage to educated men, who are more likely to be polygamists than marriage to illiterate men, is the primary estimated pathway, not a predilection for polygamy per se.
Pierre André is a professor working in CY Cergy Paris University in the department of Economics and Management. The corresponding author is Yannick Dupraz e,ployed in University College Dublin. Both researchers focus on the publishing of articles in the field of economics and education. The Journal of Development Economics is a leading peer-reviewed academic journal that covers the field of development economics. It is published by Elsevier, globally recognized publisher of scholarly materials, and provides a platform for the dissemination of high-quality research and analysis on the economics of development.
This research can be used to discuss the effect of education as the way to limit or discontinue polygamy relationships and associated negative effects. Although it might be seen that within the developing nations such method may not be applicable. Thus, it may serve as a counterargument to the counter-intuitivist nature of polygamy.
Kramer, Stephanie. “Polygamy Is Rare around the World and Mostly Confined to a Few Regions.” Pew Research Center, Pew Research Center, Web.
The article discusses the rarity of polygamy and recent trends surrounding the topic. According to Kramer, in the United States, having multiple spousal relationships under the same roof was made illegal in 1882. In spite of the fact that cohabitating with several partners is seldom prosecuted in today’s society, it is illegal to be married if you are already legally married to someone else in every state. In February, Utah lawmakers enacted a measure making polygamy a minor offense punishable by fines but not prison time for adults. The author provides a summary of a 2019 analysis by the Pew Research Center that looked at household structures across 130 nations and territories, including the prevalence of polygamous households.
Stephanie Kramer is a highly skilled researcher working at Pew Research Center, with a focus on religion. She is knowledgeable in the field of global religious demographics and the psychological aspects of religion. Kramer has contributed to numerous reports produced by Pew Research Center, including The Changing Global Religious Landscape, Religion and Living Arrangements Around the World, Europe’s Growing Muslim Population, and The Age Gap in Religion Around the World, as well as other scholarly articles. She has received both a doctoral and a master’s degree in social and personality psychology from the University of Oregon.
This article would be used to investigate common trends in surrounding the topic of polygamy. It is essential for statistical analysis of the key indexes related to the issue.
Sinai, Mirit, and Ora Peleg. “Marital Interactions and Experiences of Women Living in Polygamy: An Exploratory Study.” International Journal of Psychology, vol. 56, no. 3, 2020, pp. 361–377., Web.
The research delves into the examination of the interactions and experiences of female Bedouins residing in polygamous households in Israel. A mixed-method approach was adopted in a two-phased study. Bedouin women in polygamous and monogamous marriages were compared for their levels of self and marital satisfaction. The results suggest that in polygamous homes, the I-position and fusion with others contribute favorably to marital pleasure, but emotional disconnection and the number of children at home contribute adversely. Among monogamous women, however, marital contentment was solely correlated adversely with emotional distance. Surprisingly, in polygamous marriages, a woman’s happiness was more likely to increase if she fused with her husband’s biological family. Moreover, study involved in-depth analysis of the authentic voices and experiences of 18 senior wives. The results showed that these women had significant emotional and physiological responses to their husbands’ marriage to another woman. It was found that for most of these women, particularly those who married at a young age, living in a polygamous family negatively impacted their marital satisfaction
Mirit Sinai and Ora Peleg are researchers, academics, and authors in the field of psychology and sociology. They are affiliated with a Max Stern Yezreel Academic College, Israel. The International Journal of Psychology is a peer-reviewed academic journal that publishes research articles and reviews in the field of psychology. It covers a wide range of topics within psychology, including cognition, perception, development, personality, social psychology, and more. The journal is aimed at an international audience of psychologists, researchers, and other professionals in the field. The articles published in the International Journal of Psychology are rigorously reviewed and are expected to be of high quality and of significant contribution to the field of psychology. The articles should also be well-written, clearly structured, and accessible to a broad readership.
This study will be used to provide valuable insights into the experiences and interactions of Bedouin women living in polygynous households in Israel. This information can be used to compare and contrast with other cultures that practice polygamy, thereby advancing the understanding of the phenomenon. The study’s use of a mixed-method approach, including both quantitative and qualitative data, provides a more comprehensive view of the topic.
Works Cited
André, Pierre, and Yannick Dupraz. “Education and Polygamy: Evidence from Cameroon.” Journal of Development Economics, 2023, p. 103068., Web.
Hasan, Hamka, et al. “Polygamy: Uncovering the Effect of Patriarchal Ideology on Gender-Biased Interpretation.” HTS Teologiese Studies / Theological Studies, vol. 78, no. 4, 2022, Web.
Kramer, Stephanie. “Polygamy Is Rare around the World and Mostly Confined to a Few Regions.” Pew Research Center, Pew Research Center, Web.
Naseer, Sabila, et al. “Causes and Consequences of Polygamy: An Understanding of Coping Strategies by Co-Wives in Polygamous Marriage.” Asean Journal of Psychiatry, vol. 22, no. 9, 2021, Web.
Sinai, Mirit, and Ora Peleg. “Marital Interactions and Experiences of Women Living in Polygamy: An Exploratory Study.” International Journal of Psychology, vol. 56, no. 3, 2020, pp. 361–377., Web.
Zeitzen, Miriam Koktvedgaard. Polygamy: A Cross-Cultural Analysis. Routledge, 2020.