Marriage as a Social Institution by Stephen L. Noch
Summary
The essay “Marriage as a Social Institution” written by Stephen L. Noch is about the current debate on the new trends of it. He views that marriage and parenthood are private matters which are guided by certain norms and cultural patterns. In the essay he discusses about marital relationships that have strong bond of love, care and belief.
Marriage is the union of two heterogeneous adults who are legally, morally, socially and culturally linked by personal, social and cultural connections. Marriage differs from other type of relationships because it has soft boundaries that is it is free from any other limitations in actions. The essayist considers marriage as a social institution because it is guided by social and cultural norms, values, patterns and format. It is similar to other social institutions like school, college and politics etc.
The essayist has cited Emile Durkheim who believes marriage as a factor for reducing suicide legitimizing aspirations for well-being, comfort, luxury and affluence. Marriage matters more to the men in his view because it provides structure to their lives and helps to organize their ambitions. It controls their uncontrollable impulses (desires).
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The essayist discusses about new form similar to marriage that is cohabitation (living together relationship). It is the relationship which is not generally and legally recognized. Cohabitation has more freedom but lacks mutual and familial responsibility, identity and institutional relationship however it has relatively more freedom rom the rules of marriage. The partners in cohabitation can’t boldly introduce their relationship as husband and wife.
The essayist considers marriage as a social capital. Marriage creates wide acceptance. Marriage establishes relationship, trust and strong ties to the relatives of both husband and wife. The relationship established by marriage is more reliable, valued, and full of honour and respect. The sphere of relation widens and builds up mutual trust among people.
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The essayist talks about normative marriage in the essay. It is a form of marriage which is governed by pre-established cultural and social patterns, principles and formats. It is a form of social control by which behaviours and aspirations are channeled appropriately. The normative marriage has six dimensions. They are:
Both male and female have voluntary decision for marriage.
The male and female to get married should be by physically and mentally matured.
Heterosexual adults are involved in the marriage.
Husband is considered the principal earner of the family.
The spouses are sexually faithful to one another and it is qualitatively different from other types of intimate relationships.
The spouses are likely to be parents.
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Understanding the text
Question-Answer
1. According to the writer, what is marriage?
Ans: - According to the writer, marriage is the relationship of two adults who are legally, morally, and conventionally united by an intimate relationship which is affiliated by the society.
2. How is marriage an institution?
Ans: - Marriage is considered as an institution because it is culturally patterned with certain rules, structures, norms and values and integrated with other social institutions like education, economics, politics etc.
3. What are the rules that a marriage has?
Ans: - Being marriage a social institution, a it has a large and complex set of rules, cultural structure, norms and values that help to organize and prosper an intimate relationship of the spouses, guarantee their conjugal rights and rights of their children.
4. Why does marriage matter to men?
Ans: - Since marriage is the union of two adults, it matters a lot to men because marriage creates a new world of intimate relationship. It provides an organized structure to pass their lives, and helps to organize the ambitions and goals of the spouses.
5. What is one of the central problems in modern society?
Ans: - According to the writer, one of the central problems in the modern society is establishment of legitimate boundaries around internal desires for well-being, comforts, luxury and prestige apart from basic needs like food, clothing and shelter.
6. What does social capital consist of?
Ans: - Marriage is a form of capital similar to any other resources, it is a social capital as well because marriage as a social capital helps to maintain social well-being and harmonious relationship among the members of the society. The marriage being a social capital consists of extensive network of individuals who are connected by the bond of trustworthiness, belief, care and trust.
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7. What is normative marriage? Explain.
Ans: - Normative marriage is a form of marriage which is built on pre- established patterns, standards, norms and values and cultural assets. It is a form of social control by which behaviours and aspirations of individuals are channeled appropriately. It is based on certain norms and values of the society which are in the practice for a long span of time.
The normative marriage consists of six dimensions as found in the United States of America. They are,
Both male and female have voluntary decision for marriage.
The male and female to get married should be by physically and mentally matured.
Heterosexual adults are involved in the marriage.
Husband is considered the principal earner of the family.
The spouses are sexually faithful to one another and it is qualitatively different from other types of intimate relationships.
The spouses are likely to be parents.
Reference to the Context
1. Discuss six dimensions that define normative marriage in America.
Ans: - A normative marriage is that which is build up with pre-determined principles, norms and values. It is a pre-patterned structure of building relationship of the spouses. Marriage simply is the union of two individuals of opposite sexes who are legally, morally and spiritually tied up in the rope most intimate relationship, which guarantees their lives to prosper with luxury, comfort and happiness. In the USA, normative marriage is popular that characterizes six dimensions of marriage. The first point is that marriage is entirely voluntary act of matured individuals. No one pressurizes to get married since it depends on totally voluntary decisions. The marriage must be between two heterosexual adults and both the partners should have sexually faithful behaviour to one another. The head of the family will be the husband and he will be the principal earners. The adults are likely to be parents of their children. The marriage is qualitatively different from any other forms of relationships.
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2. Do marriages differ according to culture? How is your marriage practice different from marriage in America?
Ans: - Marriage is a legalized relationship between two heterosexual adults. It is the beginning of a new life of the two new persons. It is a socially, morally, and spiritually connected relationship licensed by the society. It certainly has social and cultural rules, norms and values. Marriage practices in one cultural, geographic and demographic region differs from another region because of its underlying rules and values. Within a country, there are variations in marriage practices. It differs from culture to culture and religion to religion. It is conducted according to the religious and cultural rituals, cults and traditions.
Most people in Nepal practice the marriage system of Hindu religion which can be widely different to the practices of other countries. In the USA, marriages are conducted following the rituals of Christianity. In Nepal, marriages take place mostly at home but in the USA, they are conducted at church in the presence of pastor or bishop. Religious priests drive the marriage process reciting religious mantras in Nepal. The relatives of both bride and bridegroom attend at the church as witness of marriage and the bride and bridegroom take a vow committing their love to one another and declaring themselves as a husband and a wife in the USA. In Nepal, the bridegroom goes to the bride’s home taking ‘janti’ accompanied by a band of musicians. At bride’s home they perform some rituals like bathing feet of the spouses by the family members and the relatives of the bride. The bride puts a line of crimson on the head and a garland of ‘pote’ on her neck as a sign of marriage which is worn by the bride till death. Thus, the marriage practices in my culture are different with American practices.
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