Question

In many cultures, there are rules about who can marry whom. One such arrangement involves marrying inside one's own group and another arrangement involves marrying outside of one's own group. 1. Name the two arrangements. 2. Explain why each one is desirable for the groups that use it. 3. Give an example of each.

Answer 1

In times in the past, and in many cultures of today, courtship is a closed system:

Arranged Marriages--were partners are determined not by the bride and groom themselves but by their families.

Types of arranged marriages

--Blind Marriage-found in China-marriage in which neither partner saw the other until the wedding day.
--Bride Price and Dowry-in some non-western nations, an arranged marriage involves a Bride price-a man must pay money or property to the future bride's family for the right to marry her..

Alternatively the bride is required to provide a dowry-the money, property, or goods a woman brings to the marriage. A woman with a high value dowry is more sought after than one of a lesser dowry.

Elopement--when for some reasons the couple run off and get married.

Forced marriage-an extreme form of arranged marriage in which the bride, groom, or both are coerced to marry against their will and under duress that includes both physical and emotional pressure.

Courtship: From parental decisions to the relationship marketplace.

The Open Courtship System: The Relationship Marketplace

--People Seeking a Traditional Partnership--among people seeking traditional marriage partners, men might use their superior position in the economic system to offer financial security and status; women offer cooking skills and other domestic skills.
--People Seeking an Egalitarian Partnership--an arrangement in which both partners play similar roles. This includes income potential, educational and social status, emotional support, sexual accessibility, and mutual willingness to share child-care and domestic responsibilities.