Throughout the semester we have discussed many topics that can be applied to one’s own perspective of looking at the world. This week we discuss the topic of ‘Family’ and the many views the word ‘family’ entails. To most of us, we have a very simple definition of what a family is, two or more individuals biologically or emotionally bond. This simple definition constitutes the idea of mother, father, kids, relatives or husbands and wives, close friends that you grew up with, and even your pet. But looking at what a family constitutes from a different cultural perspective, where do newlyweds in arranged marriages fall? In a ceremony and religious ties to one another? Is that a family?
According to Merriam-Webster online dictionary arranged marriage is “a marriage in which the husband and wife are chosen for each other by their parents (“Definition Of ARRANGED MARRIAGE”). Arranged marriages are most commonly seen in India, and Middle Eastern culture. They are believed to be an integral part of routine custom and seen as a method for securing the family lineage. Arranged marriages can take months to years to develop as the parents have to decide every aspect of the process and the potential bride and groom. It is the parent’s responsibility to find a suitable partner with the same religious ideology, caste system, social class, and economic class as their own. Finding the right potential suitor is a crucial part in arranged marriages as these ceremonies are meant to bring together like-minded families, rather than two individuals together.
If these ceremonies are meant to bring two completely different families together based on shared characteristic, where do the individuals fall? Are they then considered a new family, just the two of them? Or have the two families become one big family? Do ceremonies and marriage licenses make a family without any other bond holding them together?
Reference:
“Definition Of ARRANGED MARRIAGE”. Merriam-webster.com. N.p., 2017. Web. 30 Mar. 2017.
Marriages, Custom, and Paper Masters. “Arranged Marriages Research Paper”. Papermasters.com. N.p., 2017. Web. 30 Mar. 2017.
Principles of Sociology 
I suppose legally, all that symbols a married couple is a wedding certificate, however, this doesn’t mean that it is a good marriage. Sometimes with these marriages, the bride and groom eventually fall in love of at least develop some sort of attraction, but it usually isn’t there at the time of their marriage. I feel that these arranged marriages eliminate diversity within the family, because it’s families that are extremely alike that end up marrying and this stops there being individuality in the new family.
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I enjoyed reading your blog! I believe that arranged marriages is basically marrying someone because of their family. So in this regard, the families become one big family. Often, societies who believe in arranged marriages also believe in living in one big house. When the parents are picking out a potential marriage partner, they are also picking their family member that is going to join their household. In this regard, it is creating a big family.
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This is a really interesting concept because I guess it would fall under the legal definition of family where a family is made of people bound legally (and emotionally), but purely for legal purposes and family lineage interests. If the couple develops feelings for each other and they’d be bound emotionally. If they have a kid they love and protect, then I guess they would be a family in a textbook definition way, but the way they formed their family (their marriage) is just not what we are used to in our culture. But, since arranged marriages and motivations behind them are complex, I would think that they would fall under various concepts of family and unions.
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