Marital Practices Research Articles

Comparing Dowry System and Mahr: Cultural Practices Versus Ottoman Law in Turkish Matrimonial Traditions

Marriage, a social institution with various obligations and customs, involves legal responsibilities like dowry, alimony, and cohabitation. Traditional practices like bride price, gift-giving, breastfeeding rights, and dowry are deeply rooted in societal culture. This study focuses on dowry, a multifaceted concept encompassing personal and household items prepared for the bride and those she brings to her marital home. However, the distinction between these traditional customs and the dowry mandated by Islamic Law often must be clarified to avoid misconceptions and misinterpretations. This study aims to distinguish matrimonial practices’ religious and cultural origins and elucidate their distinctions. Islamic law mandates that the groom provides the dowry directly to the bride, contrasting with traditional dowry practices often rooted in cultural traditions. Other customs like bride price and gift-giving further complicate the landscape of matrimonial customs. Islamic law provides clear guidelines for marital obligations through religious scriptures, but traditional practices often lack definitive boundaries, leading to asset distribution complications upon marriage dissolution. Historical records from the Ottoman period provide insights into the judiciary’s role in resolving dowry-related disputes. The urgency of developing comprehensive legal regulations concerning traditional marital practices, such as dowry, is underscored, as it is crucial for fostering clarity and fairness in marital relations. This study adopts a comprehensive approach, utilising historical records from the Ottoman period, specifically the Istanbul Kadı Registers. These registers provide detailed accounts of dowry-related disputes and resolutions, serving as the cornerstone of our understanding of the judiciary’s role and the legal provisions related to dowry practices. A wide range of secondary sources, including historical texts, legal commentaries, and contemporary scholarly articles on Islamic matrimonial law and Turkish cultural practices, were also analysed to deepen the analysis.

Understanding and Application of Spousal Rights and Obligations Based on Surah Al-Nisa’ Verse 34 in Simpang Kiri, Aceh

Marriage in Islam aims to create a harmonious family rooted in the principles of sakinah (tranquility), mawaddah (love), and rahmah (compassion). However, a limited understanding of spousal rights and obligations—especially in Simpang Kiri Subdistrict, Subulussalam City, Aceh—often leads to conflicts that can culminate in divorce. This study analyzes the local community’s perceptions and practices regarding marital rights and obligations as outlined in Surah Al-Nisa’, verse 34, while also evaluating the impact of local customs on household dynamics. Employing a qualitative field research approach, data were gathered through semi-structured interviews and observations with community members, religious leaders, and officials from the local Office of Religious Affairs (KUA). The findings indicate that the community’s understanding of spousal rights and obligations primarily focuses on tangible aspects such as financial support and mahr (dowry), often overlooking the essential Islamic values of justice and compassion. Additionally, local customs significantly shape marital practices, frequently resulting in inconsistencies with Islamic principles. This study recommends enhancing religious education and fostering collaboration between religious institutions and community leaders to deepen the understanding of marital roles in accordance with Islamic teachings.

“Marry somebody who’s here”: negotiating hostile political discourse on arranged marriage

ABSTRACT Arranged marriage is associated in Western political discourse with “forced”, “sham” and transnational. Such discourse holds it to be an anachronistic practice in which parents are portrayed as misguidedly clinging on to “traditional customs” and understood to be premising ethnic and religious cultural reproduction above the needs and happiness of their children. Based on 18 months of ethnographic fieldwork including 44 semi-structured interviews, this paper analyses how an understudied yet implicated “group”, Somali Muslim parents, talk about spouse selection of/for their children. Building on the substantial scholarship on the marital practices of British Asians, this paper provides evidence which contradicts and complicates political assumptions and academic conclusions about the role of religion, “tradition”, and ethnic and cultural reproduction in arranged marriages, and brings into focus and problematizes the ongoing operation of “groupism” in relation to both ethnicity and religion.

Changing Identities of Indian Migrants in the West:

The aim of this paper is to initiate a broader discussion concerning the identities of Indian migrants and their perceptions of arranged marriage. Through an oral testimony and a detailed life history of one interlocutor, my research explores my mother’s marital experiences, including the involvement of her family, the arrangement of the marriage itself, and the challenges that come with adjusting to marital life. Within the framework of this topic, larger theoretical and cultural phenomena are addressed such as the role of immigration, acculturation, changing notions of individualism, and identity in relation to diaspora. Such topics shed light on how Indian marital practices and related societal perceptions of identity such as gender norms, are changing for Indian migrants.

A Discourse of Marriage Principles in a Multicultural Society in Indonesia: Mono and Polygamous Practices

This paper delves into the discourse surrounding marriage principles within Indonesia's diverse multicultural landscape, with a particular focus on both monogamous and polygamous practices. As a nation characterized by rich cultural and religious diversity, Indonesia provides a unique context for examining the dynamics of marital norms and traditions. Through a comprehensive analysis, this study explores the historical, legal, and socio-cultural dimensions of monogamous and polygamous marriages, shedding light on their prevalence, legal frameworks, and societal implications. Drawing upon legal perspectives, societal attitudes, and empirical evidence, this discourse aims to provide a nuanced understanding of the complexities inherent in marital practices within Indonesia's multicultural society. Ultimately, this study contributes to broader discussions on marriage, diversity, and legal pluralism, offering insights into the evolving nature of marital norms and their intersection with Indonesia's multicultural fabric.

Exploring the Effects of the Implementation of Anti-Child and Forced Marriage Ordinance among the Tagakaulo and Blaan in Malungon, Sarangani Province

This study explored the effects of the Anti-Child and Forced Marriage Ordinance on the Tagakaulo and Blaan in Malungon, Sarangani Province. A mixed method employing quantitative and qualitative approaches, specifically concurrent triangulation design was used to gather relevant data. This study provided the customary practices of the indigenous communities in which the results showed the gender separation and taboos against premarital interaction between men and women. They also accepted polygyny and the separation of married couples. The marital practices of Blaan and Tagakaulo include child and arranged marriages as well as the instances of forced marriages where children married against their own will. Malungon enacted the Anti-Child and Forced Marriage Ordinance in 2018 to ensure children's education and protection. The results showed that the mentioned practices declined as it is prohibited, especially with the approval of RA 11596 or the law criminalizing child marriage. Even though there are violators in its initial implementation in the far-flung areas, results showed that both communities highly accepted the Anti-Child and Forced Marriage ordinance and the law criminalizing child marriage with the subthemes: education as a priority, protection, and welfare of their children, and negative consequences of early marriage. Furthermore, friendships and relationships are already accepted without requiring them to marry instantly. This study contributed to the understanding of the implementation of the Anti-Child and Forced Marriage ordinance followed by approval of the law criminalizing child marriage affected the customary marital practices of the Blaan and Tagakaulo communities.

“I’m a female-PhD and I’m married”: resisting gender stereotypes of female PhDs on Zhihu

ABSTRACT While most of the studies have focused on how female PhDs are stereotypically depicted as a sexless third gender and an ultimate leftover in Chinese mainstream media representation, little attention has been paid to how such negative stereotypic representation and its underlying patriarchy are resisted. Drawing on feminist critical discourse analysis (Lazar, 2005, 2014) and legitimization strategies (van Leeuwen, 2007, 2017), this study sets out to investigate how the discursive legitimizing strategies for female PhDs play out on Chinese social media by employing a corpus-assisted approach. The data for the present study comprise 2,124 posts retrieved from China’s most popular community question-answering (CQA) site – Zhihu. It is revealed that Zhihu users commonly employ (1) personal authority, specifically that of female PhDs, to establish legitimacy; (2) moral evaluation, involving negation, affirmation and re-evaluation to legitimize the presence of female PhDs and their marital practices; (3) rationalization, including definition, explanation, means-orientation and goal-orientation to achieve the social empowerment of female PhDs. Also, this study probes into the ideologies implicated by the use of these discursive practices in relation to the wider sociocultural contexts. The implications may hopefully shed light on the optimal ways for female PhDs’ advocacy in contemporary China.

The role of parent-offspring conflict in Shuar partner choice and marital practices

Previous research argues that female choice may not be as powerful an influence on the evolution of human mating preferences as once expected given the importance of parental choice in marital practices across cultures. Furthermore, much of the literature supporting this argument assumes that endorsed cultural norms reported in the ethnographic record accurately represent individuals' behaviors. Here, we argue that the roles of parent-offspring conflict and parental choice are more nuanced. We test predictions from parent-offspring conflict theory and illuminate three loci of conflict between parents and daughters over partner choice. Using data from over 10 years of fieldwork in Shuar communities, we demonstrate that endorsed norms do not reflect complete behavioral repertoires at the individual level. We conclude that analyzing individual behavior provides insight into (1) areas of parental-offspring conflict and (2) complementary aspects of female choice and parental choice.

Perjanjian Pasca-Nikah (Postnuptial Agreement) dalam Konteks Maqashid al-Syari’ah: Analisis Pandangan al-Syatibi

Purpose – The aim of this research is to delve into and elucidate the concept of post-marital (postnuptial agreement.) agreements within the framework of the Maqashid al-Syari'ah, particularly through the lens introduced by al-Syatibi.
 Methods – The research methodology employs a Library Research approach grounded in the perspective of Maqashid al-Syari'ah as articulated by al-Syatibi, centering on descriptive analysis. This process entails systematic exploration and examination of literature and pertinent sources to grasp the nuances of Maqashid al-Syari'ah concepts as elucidated by al-Syatibi, while providing comprehensive insights into the intricacies of post-marital agreements within this framework.
 Findings – The study reveals that post-marital agreements play a crucial role in managing marital assets, especially in polygamous marriages, while prioritizing family welfare. Through the lens of Maqashid al-Shari'ah, marriage contracts ensure various benefits: preserving religious values, safeguarding against health risks, protecting children from psychological trauma, ensuring offspring welfare and rights, and safeguarding property rights, particularly in polygamous unions, thus enhancing economic stability within families.
 Research implications – The theoretical implications underscore the crucial role of maqashid al-Shari'ah in shaping post-marital agreements and Islamic marriage contracts. They stress that concepts like Hifz al Din, Hifz al Nafs, Hifz al 'Aql, Hifz al Nasl, and Hifz al Mal are pivotal in ensuring these agreements reflect Islamic values and offer optimal protection for all involved. Moreover, they prompt further exploration of the interplay between Islamic law, maqashid al-Shari'ah, and marital practices, enhancing theoretical understanding and informing legal policies in Muslim societies.
 Originality/value – In sum, the study underscores the profound implications of post-marital agreements and marriage contracts within the framework of maqashid al-Shari'ah, underscoring their role in fostering familial harmony, protecting individual rights, and upholding Islamic principles of justice and equity.

Polygamy: An Early American History by Sarah M. S. Pearsall

Reviewed by: Polygamy: An Early American History by Sarah M. S. Pearsall Lindsay M. Keiter Polygamy: An Early American History. By Sarah M. S. Pearsall. New Haven, Conn.: Yale University Press, 2019. 415 pages. Cloth, ebook. Sarah M. S. Pearsall's sweeping analysis of plural marriages, Polygamy: An Early American History, digs deep into conflicts over marital practices throughout the North American continent and the British Atlantic from the seventeenth through the nineteenth centuries. Polygamy, she shows, has long been misconstrued in the past and present as being about lust and sex. Like any form of marriage, polygamy was about power, both public and private, giving intimate decisions and behaviors political significance. She argues that in a variety of contexts, "plural unions marked status for men, and to a lesser degree [the] wives in them, and women's work palpably supported and augmented men's status" (140). She demonstrates how theological and intellectual conflicts over polygamy, well before the emergence of Mormonism, were central to debates about the structure and strength of both righteous households and enlightened nations. Her diverse examples of plural marriage practices in early America collectively demonstrate how the imposition of monogamy was—and is—a legacy of colonialism. This is a remarkable work of synthesis, encompassing an enormous geographic and chronological sweep. Pearsall makes creative use of a wide variety of sources to flesh out the stories of people whose voices were recorded in fragments, if at all, thereby centering the perspectives and experiences of the women and men deliberately marginalized in the historical record. Pearsall often compensates for the scarcity of direct testimony by creatively mining other sources, as when she devotes multiple pages to analyzing phrases about love and lust in Algonquin dictionaries to contextualize what polygamy may have meant for Makheabichtichiou, an Algonquian leader, and his three wives. As a whole, Pearsall's effort to question the "inherited and too often unquestioned structures of marriage, gender, and sexuality," as well as "notions of simple progress" (294), results in a beautifully and sensitively written book. The first three chapters explore conflicts between Indigenous people and European colonizers in the seventeenth century. Ironically, the effects of colonialism—labor reorganization and demographic disaster—made plural marriages more important as symbol and strategy for Indigenous political elites. Pearsall begins in New Spain, considering how plural marriage "was a symbol, a practice, and a rallying cry" (23) in both the 1597 Guale Rebellion in Florida and the 1680 Pueblo Revolt in New Mexico. In the 1630s, she then travels to the chillier climes of French Canada, where, to the delight of Jesuits, Makheabichtichiou—"'capitaine' of la Petite Nation" [End Page 418] (50)—enthusiastically embraced Christianity, renouncing the customs the Jesuits condemned, save one. The missionaries' hopes were blasted by Makheabichtichiou's refusal—or inability—to renounce two of his three wives. Though polygyny was a political choice that enhanced men's power, Pearsall argues that Makheabichtichiou's hands were tied when two of his wives refused to be baptized or to leave his household, revealing how "even a powerful leader was still constrained by larger structures of households, economies, and kinship" (71). Pearsall next moves eastward to consider how, amid the upheaval of King Philip's War, Mary Rowlandson's captivity narrative offers "a remarkable window onto Native practices of plural marriage and domestic life" (104). Rowlandson's captor Weetamoo (sachem of the Pocasset) was the third wife of the Narragansett sachem—a choice that "suggests a level of diplomatic desperation, as well as a possible willingness to sacrifice herself for her people" (105). Weetamoo was a critical ally of Metacom, also known as King Philip, and she was his sister-in-law twice over (Weetamoo's first husband was Metacom's brother, and Metacom married Weetamoo's sister). Within this context, polygamy emerges as a tactic of political alliance and survival in a society under enormous strain, and "Weetamoo's flashpoints of fury [toward Rowlandson] illuminate the cracks that threaten to split her world apart" (105). Thus, in these very different contexts, Pearsall argues convincingly that polygamy was not a static practice but was instead shaped by the demographic disaster and labor reorganization that resulted...

Theorizing arranged marriage: The case of South Asian Muslim immigrants in love marriage societies

AbstractIn this paper, I draw upon the empirical literatures on arranged marriages among South Asian Muslim immigrants in the U.S. and U.K. in order to (a) provide a multidimensional model of the marital formation process that challenges the binary between arranged and love marriage and to (b) propose how trust operates as a general mechanism to explain both micro‐level personal, interpersonal, and institutional motivations and negotiations around different marriage models as well as macro‐level shifts in marital practices over time.

Smoot in New Light

The eight essays in this collection describe and interpret the US Senate's investigation of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints during the Progressive Era. Nominally an investigative hearing on the election of Utah senator Reed Smoot, who was also a member of the Church's hierarchy, the four-year hearing interrogated for lawlessness the Church and its leadership, not only regarding its marital practices but also temple rites, economic holdings, and political activities. The larger history has been told by others; the contribution of this collection is to highlight and elaborate on some of the enduring questions raised by the hearings and personal detail obscured in other accounts.The book is divided into two parts: the first concerns the hearings’ public effect and the second, the actors. Konden Hansen's essay provides a theoretical frame to the essays that follow. He argues that “America's turn toward secularization began to grasp Mormonism only after” 1890 (9) and succeeded in disciplining it (as well as accepting Smoot) based on “new secular standards . . . rooted in liberal Protestant assumptions” (10) and defined by the triumph of “moral actions as opposed to theological principles” (43). Hansen credits the resolution of the Smoot hearings to Protestantism's “modernist crisis,” an internal and eventually schismatic struggle for orthodoxy, which produced twentieth-century conservative evangelicalism and evidenced the multi-determined decline of the WASP establishment.The remaining three essays in part one discuss, respectively, the Senate debate on whether to seat Smoot; the lawmaking efforts of the national anti-polygamy movements; and the attacks on polygamy after the Smoot hearings. Co-editor Michael Paulos's description of the statements, political positions, and scholarly interpretation of the Senate debate and its consequences will be very helpful to those new to this history. Byron and Kathryn Daynes trace anti-polygamy attitudes and efforts to amend the US Constitution. Although, as the authors say, there is little relation between these efforts and the Smoot hearings, their detailed charting of the fifty-five proposed amendments enables the reader to better understand and appreciate the scope and strength of the anti-polygamy protest. Largely in terms of the journalistic efforts of ex-Mormon Frank J. Cannon, or, as Joseph F. Smith liked to call him, “Furious Judas Cannon,” Ken Driggs discusses the decade-long reaction to the hearings. Each of the authors has demonstrated mastery of these topics in other publications and do not disappoint here, either in terms of their accounting for or interpretation of the hearings.Part two of the book views the hearings through the experiences of Smoot's wife Alfa May Eldredge (Allie), his secretary Carl Badger, his Church president Joseph F. Smith, and his chief interlocutor, Idaho senator Fred T. Dubois. The book also contains an appendix by Michael Quinn that identifies post-manifesto polygamist marriages performed between 1890 and 1907. The absence of Smoot's journal for the period of the hearings makes all the more welcome Kathryn Egan's description of the 1903 to 1907 correspondence between her great-grandparents. Excerpts from Allie's and Reed's letters and details about their Nauvoo-surviving and Territorial-pioneering families add an intimate and insightful personal commentary on this very public event. Paulos adds a second essay describing Joseph F. Smith's four-day testimony before the Senate investigative committee and an analysis of the scholarly treatment of its significance. His inclusion of portions of the transcript enlivens the description, and its publication here will hopefully draw to it a portion of the attention it received in its day and deserves in ours. If anyone suffered nigh unto Smoot during the hearing, it was probably his secretary Carl Badger. Gary Bergera's reprise of his Sunstone essay is a welcome addition to the book, showing Badger as an even more “modern Mormon” than his boss, his “personal agony” a litmus test for the reaction of the Church's younger generation to the hearings’ disclosures (222). John Brumbaugh closes the volume with the story of senator and former polygamy-raiding federal marshal Fred T. Dubois. A major orchestrator and would-be political beneficiary of the hearings, Senator Dubois is shown to have failed in both aims. He had to watch Smoot keep his title and himself lose it at the hands of an electorate who deemed him too obsessed with Mormonism.This is an interesting collection of essays that illuminate a very important period in Latter-day Saint history. The general reader will find much to amuse, as well as educate, and the scholar will find in it not only much of interest but also opportunities for further research. The relative brevity of these essays makes the volume of use in undergraduate courses in Latter-day Saint and US political history.

‘With Foolish Optimism We Thought It Was Just a Miss’: Marriage, Sexuality, and Unwanted Pregnancies in Twentieth-Century Ireland

Much of the scholarly focus of Irish sexuality in the twentieth century has been on ‘sexual non-conformity’: sex outside of marriage, rape and coercion, and abuse. While these are essential topics, particularly given the historical incarceration and containment of sexual ‘others’, they are only part of the story. This article analyses married couples’ sexual lives in Ireland from 1900 to 1950. Utilising criminal abortion trial records, it sheds light on marital sexual practices and reproductive decision-making. Abortions were not only accessed by those who broke sexual norms but also by those whose sexual practices were more conformist: heterosexual committed couples, most of whom already had other children. While the criminal courts depicted abortion-seeking women as docile, women were far from passive in abortion decision-making. Committed couples worked together to manage unwanted pregnancies. This reality rejects the notion of a uniquely Irish sexual purity and complicates representations of married women as oppressed and even sexually naïve. Most couples actively collaborated in managing their sexual lives, receiving support from friends and families. Early twentieth-century popular views of sexuality, then, could be flexible and permissive.
 
 Keywords: Abortion; Sexuality; Fertility, Family Planning; Reproductive Decision-making; Marriage

Association of traditional marital practices with contraceptive decision-making, couple communication, and method use among couples in rural Maharashtra, India

In India, traditional social practices around marriage, such as non-involvement of prospective brides in choice of partner and timing of marriage, child/early marriage, dowry and purdah, compromise women’s agency at the time of marriage and may also affect contraceptive practices in marriage. This paper examines the associations between traditional marital practices and contraceptive behaviours, including women’s control over contraceptive decision-making, couples’ communication about contraception, and ever use of contraceptives, among married women aged 18–29 years (N = 1,200) and their husbands in rural Maharashtra, India. Multivariable logistic regression was used to examine the association between these marginalising social practices and family planning behavioural outcomes, adjusting for demographic and parity confounders. Wives who were the primary decision-makers on who to marry had higher odds of ever having communicated with their husband on pregnancy prevention (AOR 1.76, 95% CI 1.16-2.68), and ever using modern contraceptives (AOR 2.19, 95% CI 1.52-3.16). Wives who were the primary decision-makers on when to marry also had higher odds of ever having used modern contraceptives (AOR 1.86, 95% CI 1.21-2.93). Women’s involvement in marital choice may facilitate couples’ engagement related to family planning, possibly via the establishment of better communication between partners.

Reluctant Disclosure: Epistemic Doubt and Ethical Dilemmas in Australian Forced Marriage Prevention Efforts

ABSTRACT In this article, I examine the ways in which secondary school administrators, nurses, and teachers in Victoria, Australia, are being taught to identify forced marriage as an emerging configuration of familial violence that has been codified in federal law. Based on 14 months of ethnographic fieldwork in Melbourne, Australia and its suburbs, I argue that school staff’s discomfort with the policy’s demand that they conduct risk assessments on their students produce non-disclosure as a more ethical expression of care for student wellbeing. Nondisclosure emerges as a strategy that hesitates to employ modes of victim recognition demanded by liberal biopolitical risk assessment protocols. Rather than viewing nondisclosure as a disengagement from the subject, this article shows how social welfare practitioners view nondisclosure as a way to re-engage with the broader political conditions that structure migrant families’ marital practices, including intensified border control policies and economic precarity in the wake of displacement.

Shifting Fatherhood and Gender: Negotiating Power and Sexuality in Yoruba

Indeed, Yorùbá is one of the vastly researched ethnics in Africa, but all the sub-groups, like Àkókó, are not sufficiently known in scholarship. Thus, with specific focus on Àkókó, this paper discusses gender in pre-colonial marital practices. It argues that while some of these practices made fatherhood fluid and accrued uncommon agency to women, others framed women in taboo and sexuality. The central contribution of this paper is that as a study in gender, it brings the discourse within the framework of shifting fatherhood and sexuality in Yorùbá. The study is approached from historical perspective with the methodology of narration and critical analysis of data. This research uses inter-disciplinary approach like ethnography to have full grasp of the marital dynamisms. In all, non-homogenization of history is crucial to understand hierarchies of power that shaped woman history and gender in Yorùbá.

An Evaluation of Pre-Modern Fiqh Rules Pertaining to the Marital Practices of Non-Muslims

The objective of this paper is to examine certain normative pre-modern Islamic legal rules regarding marital practices of non-Muslims, including those who later accepted Islam, as stipulated by a variety of jurists in manuals of law representing the positions of multiple legal schools. The rules regarding marital practices are particularly interesting because marriage was a highly (perhaps even the most highly) regulated feature of Islamic law, and thus rules pertaining to it shed light on broader concerns that guided the process of rule-making conducted by jurists. In conducting this analysis, I identify three overarching principles that appear to have guided Islamic marital rules pertaining to non-Muslims: (1) First, I found that there was a large degree of autonomy granted to non-Muslims in practicing their own marital customs, as long as they did not seek intervention from Islamic authorities; (2) Second, I found that most non-Islamic practices of non-Muslims that took place prior to their conversion to Islam did not pose a concern for Muslim jurists; however, practices pertaining to the parties to a marital contract were the subject of concern for Muslim jurists; and (3) Third, I found that jurists were highly concerned with keeping a certain religious hierarchy intact, especially when it came to intermarriage between Muslims and non-kitābīs. I argue that the seemingly liberal laws pertaining to non-Muslims derive from (A) a conception of the world held by jurists that is best understood as akin to imagined political communities, and (B) an interest in ensuring consistency in the law.

Marital Practices of the Nahuas and Imposed Sociocultural Change in Sixteenth-Century Mexico

AbstractThere are many sources that allowed scholars to study the nature and functions of polygamous marriages of the Nahua nobility. Very few studies, however, focus on the marital relations of the Nahua commoners. This article presents exploratory research into various kinds of marriages of the macehualtin—polygamy, sororate, and levirate. Based on the available material (early censuses, inquisitorial records, sixteenth-century accounts) it discusses the functions that these types of unions played in Nahua society. Moreover, it reflects on the effects that the Christianization and prohibition of such marriages had on Nahua society. The Nahuas could either reshape their communities, by adjusting to the new rules, or continue their precolonial practices in hiding. Either way, the imposed Christianization can be analyzed through the notion of the cultural trauma, which occurred when the Nahuas were forced to reshape their communities to adjust to the new rules.

Diaspora and Syncretism: Marriage Rites in Yorùbá Homeland and Abroad

The marriage institution is as old as the human race and is valued for companionship and procreation. The Yorùbá race accords great importance to this institution and has a distinctive manner of contracting its nuptials which underscores the sacredness it attaches to marriage. The importance attached to this union is evident in parents’ preparation even before the girl-child is born, including contracting a marriage proposal on her behalf. This marks the beginning of a long process that will eventually culminate in future marriage. As Yorùbá people are found all over the globe, the marital rites are transferred from the original soil to the diaspora, the result of which is the syncretic practices that are associated with marital practices abroad. This essay therefore engages in a comparative exercise, identifying marital rites in the diaspora that have maintained close ties with homeland and those that have diverged from them.

‘Out of Lust for Money’? Agency and Marital Strategies in Eighth‐Century Italy

AbstractThis article analyses early medieval Italian marital practices and inquires how Lombard women played the system to increase their agency. It contends that in the eighth century, demographic and social developments created conditions that could favour women in negotiating marriages. These women used their position of power to bargain for better nuptial agreements, resulting in an increase in agency and power within the household. Such perceived imbalance prompted royal authority to intervene, leaving traceable marks in eighth‐century legislation, most notably under King Liutprant (712–44). To contextualise these legal interventions, the article first scrutinises earlier laws for marital practices, introducing basic terms such as morgincap, meta and faderfyo. Then, investigates the demographic and cultural factors related to marriages, including the distribution of the population, the level of celibacy and monastic confinement and rules that limited marital arrangements (such as legislation against incest). Finally, it considers Liutprant's laws for evidence of strategies used by women, considering the dialectics between agency and normative constraints.