Paula RohrJill HansonMarissa ManskeLeigh Splittstoesser
What is Polygamy?
• Polygyny – one man married to several women
• Polyandry – one woman married to several men
• POLYGAMY – refers to either arrangement
Kitch,T. (2009)
World View of Polygamy
World Focus (2009)
Reasons for Polygamist Practices
Female to Male Ratios
Patriarchal Guardianship
Religious Doctrine and Teachings
Social and Economic Necessity
Rahman, A. (n.d.)
Female to Male Ratios
"Take four wives to rid the country of spinsters."
• Push for the increase in polygamist practices in Saudi Arabia
• Response from Saudi Arabian women who want no part of polygamy due to newly found educational advancement and financial independence
Joffe-Walt, B. (2010, July 13)
Reasons for Polygamist Practices
Female to Male Ratios
Patriarchal Guardianship
Religious Doctrine and Teachings
Social and Economic Necessity
Rahman, A. (n.d.)
Patriarchal Guardianship
• There is often a need for a man in many countries for women to do everyday things
• This is no different from polygamy families or a husband with one wife
"....requires all women to be represented by men, either their husband, father or son, in all public and official spheres of life. Women are
not allowed to drive, inherit, divorce or gain custody of children, and cannot socialize with
unrelated men." (Saudi Arabia)
Joffe-Walt, B. (2010, July 13)
Reasons for Polygamist Practices
Female to Male Ratios
Patriarchal Guardianship
Religious Doctrine and Teachings
Social and Economic Necessity
Rahman, A. (n.d.)
Religious Doctrine and Teaching
• Qu'ran: Surah (chapter) al-Nisa, Verse 3: "And if you have reason to fear that you
might not act equitably towards orphans, then marry from among [other] women such as are lawful to you - [even] two, or three, or four: but if you have reason to fear that you might not be able to treat them with equal fairness, then [only] one - or [from among]
those whom you rightfully possess."
Surat An-Nisa'.(n.d.)
Reasons for Polygamist Practices
Female to Male Ratios
Patriarchal Guardianship
Religious Doctrine and Teachings
Social and Economic Necessity
Rahman, A. (n.d.)
Social and Economic Necessity
• Child Labor
• Power and Status
• Custom and Tradition
Badawi, J. (2008)
Polygamy in Afghanistan, (2006)
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints
Fundamental Church of Jesus Christ of LDS
Honors marriage between man and woman
Original Morman religion practices
Support laws of the land Separate community
Close knit families with strong values
Believe God is polygamist, Must be polygamist to become God
Denounce FLDS practices Church leader is prophet
World will soon end and Warren Jeffs will be seated next to God
LDSLDS FLDSFLDS
Utah Stories (2008)
•Morman church practiced polygamy unitl 1862
•Utah wanted statehood
•Joseph Smith practices
The Confusion Continues
• LDS discontinued polygamy officially in 1890
• FLDS incorporates Joseph Smith- do not acknowledge LDS President announcement
• LDS tithing
U.S. Polygamy
• Lifting the Veil of Polygamy: The History of Mormon Polygamy Living Hope
Ministries, (N.D.)
• Carol Jessop American Program Bureau, (2009)
Rules of Polygamy within the FLDS
• All control belongs to a central figure • Revelation from God dictates the words and
acts of the central figure• Independent thinking and outside
information are shunned• Relationships with others outside the cult are
prohibited• Non-constructive attitudes toward education• Adaptation to mainstream society is
punishing• Gestapo Mentality
Beall, L. (n.d.)
• Polygamy can be a last option for women– Financially unsupported– Divorced– Widowed
• Men’s reasoning– Not having a child– Sickness of wife– Tribal Competition
• Statistics– Most believe that a man cannot fully support more
than one wife– Generally people believe that the world should not be
made up of polygamist practices
Afghanistan Overview
Polygamy in Afghanistan, (2006)
African Outlook
• Marriage is a union of two clans
• Wealth
• Age of consent
• Why is underage marriage still around?
• Side effects of young marriage
• VirginityAli, S. (2007); DESA (2009); Nour, N. (2006)
Personal Effects
Anxiety
Depression
Low Self-Esteem
Lack of Medical Attention
Poverty
Beall, L. (n.d.)
Cont…
Loss of control
Family Separation
Poor education
Beall, L. (n.d.)
Legal Ramifications
• Morrill Anti-Bigamy Act – July 1, 1862, by President Abraham Lincoln– Punished by a fine not exceeding five hundred
dollars, and by imprisonment for a term not exceeding five years
• Article 16– "Article 16 of the Universal Declaration of Human
Rights states that persons must be at "full age" when married and that marriage should be entered into "freely" and with "full consent." In other words, any country that allows child marriage is committing a violation of human rights.”
Porter, P.L., (1998).
Nour, N.M. (2006)
Moral Ramifications
• "children are raised in a wholesome environment free of television and junk food and social pressures"
• Living a sheltered life
Anderson, S. (2010)
Polygamy Across the Borders
• Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA): – "...the full and complete development of a country, the
welfare of the world and the cause of peace require the maximum participation of women on equal terms with men in all fields" DESA (2009)
• Article 16– "Parties shall take all appropriate measures to eliminate
discrimination against women in all matters relating to marriage and family relations and in particular shall ensure, on a basis of equality of men and women"
Nour, N. (2006)
Mohanty's Connection Regarding Solutions
• Educate, Educate, Educate...– Campaign Against Polygamy And Women
Oppression International CAPWOI
• Empowerment Of Women – Irma states (reference by Mohanty) that “the only
way to get a little measure of power over your own life is to do it collectively, with the support of other people who share your needs”
Mohanty, 2003, p. 168
ReferencesMEDIA
• UTUBE link (time length 3:36): Mormon's have nothing to do with Texas Polygamy Sect http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9OqdOM9udv4&feature=related
• UTUBE link (time length 10:27): Interview with women from Texas Polygamist group http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BSj3IM-gqIM&feature=related
• UTUBE link (time length 9:50): Warren Jeffs instructing child brides on marriage http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hGqJIqe6LEE&feature=related
OTHER SOURCES• Ali, S. (2007). Muslim-marriage guide: polygamy and other african tribal
customs. Retrieved from: http://www.muslim-marriage-guide.com/african-tribal-customs.html
• Anderson, S., (2010). The polygamists. In National Geographic online. Retrieved from http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2010/02/polygamists/anderson-text/1
• Beall, L. (n.d.). The Impact of Modern-Day Polygamy on Women & Children. Retrieved from Trauma Awareness & Treatment Center http://www.traumaawareness.org/id19.html
• Campaign Against Polygamy And Women Oppression International (CAPWOI). (2005). Polygamy Stop: History of polygamy. Retrieved from: http://www.polygamystop.org/history.html
• Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) (2009). Convention on the elimination of all forms of discrimination against women (CEDAW). Retrieved from: http://www.un.org/womenwatch/daw/cedaw/text/econvention.htm
• Joffe-Walt, B. (2010, July 13). Saudi men push for more wives. The Jerusalem Post. Retrieved from: http://www.jpost.com/MiddleEast/Article.aspx?id=181305
• Kitch,T. (2009) Prof. of Anthropology at Minnesota State Community and Technical College - Wadena. Introduction to Anthropology. [Classroom lecture notes]
• Maiti Nepal (2008). Crusading for the prevention of girl trafficking, rescue, rehabilitation, integration of survivors of trafficking. Retrieved from: http://www.maitinepal.org/pages.php?option=About Us
• Nigeria, G. (2001). West Africa. Emory Law. Retrieved from: http://www.law.emory.edu/ifl/region/westafrica.html
• Nour, N. (2006). Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): health consequences of child marriages in africa. Retrieved from: http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/EID/vol12no11/06-0510.htm
• Nour, N.M. (2006). United Nations efforts and national law. In Health consequences of child marriage in Africa. [pdf document]. Retrieved from: http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/eid/vol12no11/pdfs/06-0510.pdf
• Polygamy in Afghanistan. Rep. Open Society Institute, 2006. Web. 2011. <http://www.wclrf.org.af/English/eng_pages/Researches/Polygamy%20In%20Afghanistan.pdf>.
• Porter, P.L., (1998). A chronology of federal legistation on polygamy. Retrieved from: http://www.xmission.com/~plporter/lds/chron.htm
• Rahman, A. (n.d.). Polygyny in Islam: The profound wisdom behind it and its numerous benefits. Retrieved from: http://ezinearticles.com/?Polygyny-in-Islam---The-Profound-Wisdom-Behind-it-and-Its-Numerous-Benefits&id=1570807
• Roman, L. & Eyre, L. (1997). Dangerous territories: struggles for difference and equality in education. Retrieved from: http://cclp.mior.ca/Reference%20Shelf/PDF_OISE/Tolerance%20and%20Neutrality%20in%20the%20University.pdf
• Surat An-Nisa'.(n.d.). 4:3. In The Holy Qur'an online. Retrieved from: http://quran.com/4
• Utahstories (2008). Utahstories: Media outlets continue to inaccurately confuse LDS and FLDS faiths. Retrieved from: http://www.utahstories.com/lds_flds_confusion.htm