Breaking Eurocentric Frames on a Marital Institution

“What exactly is the arranged marriage?” That is the central question that this book evolves around. The author argues that the arranged marriage is often misrepresented in academic literature as it is generally analyzed through a Eurocentric lens. This is not neutral lens. The Eurocentric frame perceives the free-choice marriage system as the ideal. As a result, the arranged marriage is perceived to be a lesser marital tradition, a “marriage of shortcomings”, one that fails to meet the standards of the free-choice marriage system. The author invites readers to break this frame and to study the arranged marriage and its dynamics with fresh eyes. Filling an academic gap, Tahir’s book provides a unique critical examination of the social principles that lie at the heart of the arranged marriage system, such as guardianship, hierarchical interdependence, group loyalty, marriage and risk management, and the role of parental authority in the promotion of individual marital consent. Knowledge of these foundational principles will hugely contribute to an unbiased understanding of the arranged marriage and of the modernization the arranged marriage is currently undergoing. Breaking Eurocentric Frames on Arranged Marriage is a necessary and valuable handbook for understanding the cultural heritage of a marriage system that is practised by millions around the world.