Define Marriage

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 2. Define Marriage

Marriage is a socially recognized union between individuals, typically establishing rights and obligations between spouses, their children, and in-laws. It is a fundamental social institution varying across cultures, serving purposes like companionship, procreation, economic cooperation, and social stability. Anthropologically, marriage legitimizes sexual relations and offspring, ensuring inheritance and kinship continuity.

Definitions evolve; traditionally, it was often heterosexual and monogamous, but modern views include same-sex and polygamous forms. Legally, marriage confers benefits like tax advantages, inheritance rights, and decision-making authority in health matters. Sociologically, Talcott Parsons viewed it as stabilizing adult personalities and socializing children within nuclear families.

Types include arranged marriages, common in collectivist societies like India, emphasizing family alliances, versus love marriages in individualistic cultures, prioritizing personal choice. Endogamy (marrying within one's group) and exogamy (marrying outside) regulate social boundaries. Polygyny (one man, multiple wives) and polyandry (one woman, multiple husbands) exist in specific contexts, like Himalayan regions for resource management.

Marriage functions include emotional support, reducing isolation, and economic partnership, sharing resources. It reinforces gender roles, though feminism critiques it for perpetuating patriarchy. Divorce rates highlight its fragility amid changing norms, like women's workforce participation.

In social work, understanding marriage aids in family counseling, addressing issues like domestic violence or child custody. Globally, movements for marriage equality, such as the 2015 U.S. Obergefell v. Hodges ruling, reflect shifting definitions toward inclusivity.

Critics argue marriage can oppress, as in forced unions, while proponents see it as a bedrock of society. Overall, marriage is not merely a personal bond but a culturally embedded contract adapting to societal transformations, influencing identity, economy, and law.