LE3 .A278 2009

2009

Abramson, Zelda

Acadia University

Bachelor of Arts

Honours

Sociology

Sociology

Historically, arranged marriages, the most common form of marriage in India, have been normally organized by the parents of the bride and groom, with no decisions made by the bride. Today, parents still play a vital role in the marriage arrangements; however, the bride is becoming increasingly involved in the decision-making process. This change is a result of modern education which has induced changes within the patriarchal social structure, cultural norms and value system of India. Modern education introduced Indian women to a new way of thinking and they were encouraged to go beyond their traditional roles of wife and mother to focus on their education and career, and find aspirations and goals outside of marriage. This has led to modifications of the beliefs and customs of Indian marriages, as the stringent rules and expectations that surrounded the traditional form of arranged marriage restructured to a form that is considered more lenient and accepting for Indian women. Through interviews conducted with three Indian women, I have shown how modern education has rearranged the Indian marriage institution as a result of the compromises made between the young and the old generation.

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https://scholar.acadiau.ca/islandora/object/theses:562