Arranged Marriages In America

The term “Marriage” is a sacred union between a man and a woman as husband and wife in a special relationship. In some cases, the union of two people becoming partners in a marriage are not necessarily decided by themselves but are selected by their own family or a professional matchmaker which is commonly known as arranged marriage. This form of marriage was a very common practice in the past that has been carried out for centuries in various cultures and countries thus this tradition was not strange to the ancient Greek culture and myths that go way back before Christ. The notion of having arranged marriages was not the only constraint to the western part of the world but has also spread towards Asia, which its rituals strike a resemblance to the Greek myths. Although there are some minor differences, the similarities between the Ancient Greek myths and the Chinese culture in Arranged Marriages are clear.

Arranged marriage is found in various cultures and countries around the world, including Afghanistan and other parts of the Middle East; having an arranged marriage is thought of as an Afghani tradition and has been a part of life for many families. The practice of arranged marriage has advantages and disadvantages; it can create more family power and give more financial security. Sadly being forced into a marriage can disrupt the independence of the engaged, most women stop their education when they become engaged resulting in many women being illiterate. This makes it impossible for them to be successful without depending on their husbands. Arranged marriage is found in many cultures throughout the modern world, though in a lot of cases it results in a happy family it can also be very limiting on women and often girls are married before they can give consent.

Marriage is described as two people as partners in a personal relationship. There are two typical ideas of marriage that we know today. The first one that comes to mind is the one we all know, based on love, but there is another one that some may not even know of and its arranged marriages. Arranged marriage is not typically in our culture we know but in different cultures arranged marriages are their normal marriage. Throughout this essay, I will discuss the importance of realizing cultural diversity and how we apply the perspectives we gain from cross-cultural comparison to our own experience using central concepts about marriage to compare and contrast marriage in several cultures.

Arranged marriages in Indian society have been the norm for many centuries. Even today, an overwhelming majority of Indian people have their married arranged by their parents, or respected family members.As American we never really contemplate the idea of having someone choose our life-long partner. That’s not the case in other nations such as India, arranged marriage in India is a very common practice, yet here in the United States arranged marriages are frowned upon. We believe that everyone has the right to choose who they want to spend their lived with. Although I believe that we should be free to make our own choices I also can see what the advantages and disadvantages of an arranged

ReferencesAugust, P. (2005, October). Arranged Marriages in the Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arranged_marriageBowman, H. & Spanier, G. (1978). Modern Marriage. McGraw-Hill Book Company.

Marriage practices vary across cultures. Every culture has its own way of conducting marriage according to their traditions and customs. Most cultures share common customs and practices, while some cultures have unique practices. Marriage refers to a social union agreed upon by the couples to unit as spouses. The union of couples implies sexual relations, permanence in union, and procreation. This research paper focuses on comparing marriage practices in American and Indian culture. There is significant difference between the two cultures in marriage practices.

Definition of culture is a wide range. Culture is language, art, food, cloth, lifestyle, and believe. I was born and lived in Japan 19 years. When I came to the United States, I was surprised how Japanese and American culture is different. Japan and America is different language, food and lifestyle. There is a Japanese culture that American culture should adapt for social benefit. That is arranged marriage. There were many countries that arranged marriage is popular around the world. However, recently, arranged marriage is no more popular because society, and people’s idea changed, and many people think arranged marriage is not respect their children. In Japan, arranged marriage is very popular since long time ago. A few decades ago, arranged marriage was forced marriage, and wealthy people do that for keeping family well-off. However, definition and style of arranged marriage changed recently. Arranged marriage is more like matchmaking. Parents do not force marriage anymore. They encourage to find good partner for daughter or son. “Arranged marriages in Japan are now in the minority because one reporter says that over 70% of Japanese marriage are based on love. The remaining 30 % are arranged.” (Arranged Marriages in Japan) From this date, Japanese still arranged marriage. Arranged marriage is beneficial American society because fast, low divorce rate, no trouble, and marriage with ideal person.

What is an arranged marriage? An arranged marriage by definition is a marriage planned and agreed to by the families or guardians of the bride and groom. The amount of input a bride or groom has is based off the type of arranged marriage. In the traditional arranged marriage the bride and groom have significant input and are not forced. Arranged marriage is a sensitive topic as it involves the values, beliefs and core characteristics of many. There are multiple views on arranged marriage, both positive and negative. Here in the west many have negative opinions on arranged marriages. Arranged marriage can be researched and analyzed from an anthropological, psychological and sociological perspective. Through the three perspectives, many distinctive differences and similarities between arranged marriage and other types of marriage such as love/choice marriage can be seen. This research essay will analyze arranged marriage from the perspective of all three social sciences and show how arranged marriage is just as good if not better than love/choice marriage from the perspective of all three social sciences.

For thousands of years, parents have chosen their children's spouses; hopefully with some success. Some countries still practice the tradition today. India turn most, if not all, of the wedding decision over to the Patriarchs of the groom. In other countries only a portion of the country's population practice it: even though the urban areas are controlled by the government many chinese dwelling in rural farming areas still practice arranged marriages. In the United States of America people have moved on to the idea of letting the young adults choose their own marriages, but do children make the same choices as their parents? It is often the idea that younger adults will make the wrong choices in marriage; however, marriage in today’s world

Throughout time arranged marriages were the norm in several societies. In the comedy, A Midsummer Night’s Dream by William Shakespeare, Hermia is in love with Lysander, but her father wants her to marry Demetrius. She escapes into the woods with Lysander. Just like Hermia, many people around the world are forced to marry someone that their parents choose for them. Love marriage vs. Arranged marriage is always a debated topic. While there are instances of love marriages working out, there are arranged marriages which are successful too. Both have their pros and cons. And it is just the world around us which makes us support or be against a love marriage. Arranged marriages are based on the understanding of two families. The parents of the bride or groom get to pick their future partner. On the other hand, love marriages are more of an independent choice between the bride and groom. Giving them the freedom to marry someone they know and admire. There are different customs and traditions that are followed in different societal set-ups. Arrange marriages lack love and respect between husband and wife. Arranged marriages are a social injustice. They deprive individuals of their choice. Marriage is a commitment of two people who have made a vow to love each other till death. In the essay I will be debating the pro’s and con’s of arranged and love marriages.

Some cringe at the third world thought of arranged marriage. However, Ji Hyun Lee’s article in The New York Times titled, “Modern Lessons From Arranged Marriages”, begins to raise questions concerning how lessons from this culturally unique phenomenon may be able to aid in non-arranged marriages in the United States with the help of experts. Michael J. Rosenfeld, associate sociology professor at Stanford University claims, “I don’t think love marriage and arranged marriage are as different as we make them out to be.” He asserts that the concept of “love marriage” mimics the ancient art of pairing in “arranged marriages,” stating that individuals end up being partnered with another whom is similar to themselves in regards to race, religion, class background, and age. Senior Research Psychologist, Robert Epstein found that parental involvement is the key to a strong arranged marriage, as the parents screen for potential deal breakers in the couples’ relationship. Many in successful arranged marriages attribute the success of their union to their parents’ involvement. Dr. Epstein notes that in a nation such as the US, we celebrate independence and freedom of choice, which is likely the reason why so many view arranged marriages with such unwavering hesitation. Although he admits that the tradition of arranged marriages does not hold much hope in gaining acceptance today, he notes an undeniable fact: when 40-50% of all American marriages end in divorce, there is logic in

The parents of a bride and groom made the decision as to who their child would marry with no consideration of their child’s wishes or needs. These arranged marriages were created more like business decisions than romantic unions of men and women. These marriages were usually arranged between a bride and groom who came from families with like economic backgrounds. (Tamura, E., 1997) Additionally, these arranged marriages were not harmonious unions.

Parents will only choose spouses that are best suited for their children, and they know that their children will have the security and stability with their partners. Such arranged marriages prevents unions that are grounded on pure compulsions. It is a matrimony that may not be about love but about what is best for the couple’s future. Often, in love matrimonies, the couple is too blinded by what they perceive as “love” to see the faults of one another and their unsuitability. In arranged marriages it is the parents that decide and they offer an impartial opinion on the personality of their partner. They know what is best for their children. For example, a religious family would want their children to have the same religious background as their spouse. For example, a Muslim family would want or maybe even demand a matrimony between another Muslim families. By having an arranged marriage, families can now check and be sure of the other party’s background and make an informed decision before their children got married. In normal “love” marriages, the family might have little say in who their children falls in love with, thus reducing the chances of having an “ideal” partner. Therefore, arranged marriages has its benefits as they offer security and stability to the couple and thus preserving the families customs and practices if need be before the couple are to be

Marriage is a union that has been around for as long as humans have walked the earth. The human race depends upon the union of its members, and as such, the subject of marriage has been an issue that receives more intense scrutiny and attention than many would likely believe. In today's day and age, with humanity continuing to move in a modern direction, many argue that marriage is a union that should be entered into freely and should be based exclusively on the love between two people. However, I argue that arranged marriage, which has taken place throughout the ages and throughout the world, is a union that offers its observers a marriage based in support, longevity and love, and is an institution that should not be frowned upon.

Nowadays, with growing technology people, young and old, are getting adapted to a virtual way of life resulting in forgetting their own traditions and practices which also reflects the way one gets married. When it comes to arranged marriages, parents ensure that their traditions are kept alive. In an article called ‘Arranged Marriages Appeal To Indians Trying To Keeping Traditions