Brent Waters
- Published in print:
- 2007
- Published Online:
- September 2007
- ISBN:
- 9780199271962
- eISBN:
- 9780191709883
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199271962.001.0001
- Subject:
- Religion, Religion and Society
The book provides a critical and constructive overview of historic and contemporary themes on the family in Christian social and political thought. The principal historic sources examined include ...
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The book provides a critical and constructive overview of historic and contemporary themes on the family in Christian social and political thought. The principal historic sources examined include Greco-Roman and biblical texts, patristic and medieval literature, and selected Reformation, Puritan, and 19th century authors. The development of modern liberal thought on marriage and family is subjected to extensive scrutiny by surveying the works of some of its leading founders, proponents, and contemporary critics, including a range of Christian theological responses. The chief weakness of late liberalism is that it promotes a voluntaristic vision of civil society, which portrays human associations solely as the outcome of the corporate will of autonomous individuals. The central constructive argument of the book is that such a vision has effectively eroded an understanding of the family as the most basic and natural form of human association, thereby diminishing contemporary Christian social and political thought. In order to rectify this situation, the philosophical and ideological presuppositions of late liberalism is subjected to critical analysis regarding its understanding of the nature of human associations in general, and the familial association in particular. Building upon this analysis, an alternative set of philosophical, theological, and moral presuppositions are developed, which provide the basis for developing a normative account of the family in opposition to that offered by late liberalism. This alternative account in turn may be used to inform contemporary Christian social and political thought.Less
The book provides a critical and constructive overview of historic and contemporary themes on the family in Christian social and political thought. The principal historic sources examined include Greco-Roman and biblical texts, patristic and medieval literature, and selected Reformation, Puritan, and 19th century authors. The development of modern liberal thought on marriage and family is subjected to extensive scrutiny by surveying the works of some of its leading founders, proponents, and contemporary critics, including a range of Christian theological responses. The chief weakness of late liberalism is that it promotes a voluntaristic vision of civil society, which portrays human associations solely as the outcome of the corporate will of autonomous individuals. The central constructive argument of the book is that such a vision has effectively eroded an understanding of the family as the most basic and natural form of human association, thereby diminishing contemporary Christian social and political thought. In order to rectify this situation, the philosophical and ideological presuppositions of late liberalism is subjected to critical analysis regarding its understanding of the nature of human associations in general, and the familial association in particular. Building upon this analysis, an alternative set of philosophical, theological, and moral presuppositions are developed, which provide the basis for developing a normative account of the family in opposition to that offered by late liberalism. This alternative account in turn may be used to inform contemporary Christian social and political thought.
Andrew Moutu
- Published in print:
- 2013
- Published Online:
- January 2014
- ISBN:
- 9780197264454
- eISBN:
- 9780191760501
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- British Academy
- DOI:
- 10.5871/bacad/9780197264454.001.0001
- Subject:
- Anthropology, Asian Cultural Anthropology
This book is an ethnographic study of kinship and the nature and behaviour of ownership amongst the much-studied Sepik River Iatmul people. Until very recently, anthropology has remained a Western ...
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This book is an ethnographic study of kinship and the nature and behaviour of ownership amongst the much-studied Sepik River Iatmul people. Until very recently, anthropology has remained a Western analytical project for understanding and conceptualising non-Western societies, and was often geared towards the pragmatics of colonial and post-colonial interest. In the spirit of social science, it has formulated a rigorous method of research and a specialised language of description and analysis. Embedded within this approach are metaphysical assumptions about the nature of human society, culture, history, and so forth. This book provides the vantage point from which to rethink anthropology's central assumption about social relations by focusing on the way in which they are assumed and prefigured in the methodological approach in data gathering and in subsequent theorisation. It presents an ethnographic study of the nature of personhood, name and marriage systems, gender, understandings of kinship, and concomitant issues of ownership amongst the Sepik River Iatmul people, a people well known and of enduring importance to anthropology on either side of the Atlantic and in Australasia.Less
This book is an ethnographic study of kinship and the nature and behaviour of ownership amongst the much-studied Sepik River Iatmul people. Until very recently, anthropology has remained a Western analytical project for understanding and conceptualising non-Western societies, and was often geared towards the pragmatics of colonial and post-colonial interest. In the spirit of social science, it has formulated a rigorous method of research and a specialised language of description and analysis. Embedded within this approach are metaphysical assumptions about the nature of human society, culture, history, and so forth. This book provides the vantage point from which to rethink anthropology's central assumption about social relations by focusing on the way in which they are assumed and prefigured in the methodological approach in data gathering and in subsequent theorisation. It presents an ethnographic study of the nature of personhood, name and marriage systems, gender, understandings of kinship, and concomitant issues of ownership amongst the Sepik River Iatmul people, a people well known and of enduring importance to anthropology on either side of the Atlantic and in Australasia.
Jana Marguerite Bennett
- Published in print:
- 2008
- Published Online:
- May 2008
- ISBN:
- 9780195315431
- eISBN:
- 9780199872022
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195315431.001.0001
- Subject:
- Religion, Theology
Marriage and singleness appear in the contemporary era as problems for scholars and laypeople alike. Several problems related to marriage and singleness include questions of gender roles, the nature ...
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Marriage and singleness appear in the contemporary era as problems for scholars and laypeople alike. Several problems related to marriage and singleness include questions of gender roles, the nature of public and private, and sexual ethics. Many contemporary theologians focus almost exclusively on “theology of marriage” and offer solutions using sociopolitical means, but they fail to see the damage that this limited focus on marriage alone has for ecclesiology.Augustine of Hippo becomes a reference point for addressing this split between married and single people, as well as questions about gender and public/private distinctions. This book argues that Augustine's theological method shows a better way of thinking through some contemporary problems by demonstrating how Augustine views marriage and single states of life in light of the church's life and history.Via retelling salvation history (creation, fall, redemption, and eschatology) and taking a look at the political life of the church in its worship practices, this book shows that marriage and singleness cannot be intelligibly separated from each other, that gender and gendered relationships must be seen in light of friendship with God, and that the marriage between Christ and the church is the first mediator in any state of life. The water of baptism, Christians' first birth and initiation into the life of Christ, becomes the primary standard for relationships, rather than familial ties.Less
Marriage and singleness appear in the contemporary era as problems for scholars and laypeople alike. Several problems related to marriage and singleness include questions of gender roles, the nature of public and private, and sexual ethics. Many contemporary theologians focus almost exclusively on “theology of marriage” and offer solutions using sociopolitical means, but they fail to see the damage that this limited focus on marriage alone has for ecclesiology.
Augustine of Hippo becomes a reference point for addressing this split between married and single people, as well as questions about gender and public/private distinctions. This book argues that Augustine's theological method shows a better way of thinking through some contemporary problems by demonstrating how Augustine views marriage and single states of life in light of the church's life and history.
Via retelling salvation history (creation, fall, redemption, and eschatology) and taking a look at the political life of the church in its worship practices, this book shows that marriage and singleness cannot be intelligibly separated from each other, that gender and gendered relationships must be seen in light of friendship with God, and that the marriage between Christ and the church is the first mediator in any state of life. The water of baptism, Christians' first birth and initiation into the life of Christ, becomes the primary standard for relationships, rather than familial ties.
St Augustine
P. G. Walsh (ed.)
- Published in print:
- 2001
- Published Online:
- April 2004
- ISBN:
- 9780198269953
- eISBN:
- 9780191601132
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/0198269951.001.0001
- Subject:
- Religion, Early Christian Studies
The Good of Marriage and On Holy Virginity are separate treatises but closely interconnected as comparing these modes of Christian commitment. They were composed in the same year, a.d. ...
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The Good of Marriage and On Holy Virginity are separate treatises but closely interconnected as comparing these modes of Christian commitment. They were composed in the same year, a.d. 401. Augustine had personal experience of both states, having had two concubines (he fathered a son by the first) and having lived a celibate life following his conversion in a.d. 386. His treatment of marriage and consecrated virginity is rooted in the New Testament, above all in Paul's I Cor. 7, and is indebted to earlier Christian discussions, especially those of Ambrose. The two works are directed against the Manichees on the one hand, who argued that marriage and procreation were evil, and on the other, to repair the damage done by the controversy between Jovinian (arguing that the married state was as meritorious as virginity) and Jerome (who in exalting virginity denigrated marriage).Less
The Good of Marriage and On Holy Virginity are separate treatises but closely interconnected as comparing these modes of Christian commitment. They were composed in the same year, a.d. 401. Augustine had personal experience of both states, having had two concubines (he fathered a son by the first) and having lived a celibate life following his conversion in a.d. 386. His treatment of marriage and consecrated virginity is rooted in the New Testament, above all in Paul's I Cor. 7, and is indebted to earlier Christian discussions, especially those of Ambrose. The two works are directed against the Manichees on the one hand, who argued that marriage and procreation were evil, and on the other, to repair the damage done by the controversy between Jovinian (arguing that the married state was as meritorious as virginity) and Jerome (who in exalting virginity denigrated marriage).
Maxine Eichner
- Published in print:
- 2010
- Published Online:
- January 2011
- ISBN:
- 9780195343212
- eISBN:
- 9780199867769
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195343212.001.0001
- Subject:
- Political Science, Political Theory
Until now, American political thought and public policy have said little about the centrality of dependency in human lives, and the important role that families serve in dealing with it. Instead, ...
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Until now, American political thought and public policy have said little about the centrality of dependency in human lives, and the important role that families serve in dealing with it. Instead, they have generally conceptualized citizens as able adults, ignoring the fact that all citizens are, for significant periods of their lives, dependent on others to meet important needs. Focusing on the dependency of the human condition makes the picture of what citizens need more complex than this current conception would have it: Citizens require more than the liberty and equality that able adults might seek; they also need caretaking and human development. As our society is currently structured, these functions will largely be handled by families. The task of integrating dependency and the role that families play in dealing with it into the liberal democratic theory that undergirds American public policy is the subject of this book. It argues that supporting caretaking and human development are as central to the responsibilities of the state as ensuring a competent police force to ensure citizens' safety. In the “supportive state” model that is developed, the state's responsibility to support families does not usurp the responsibility of family members for meeting their members' dependency needs. Instead, families appropriately bear responsibility for the day-to-day caring for (or arranging the care for) members with dependency needs. Meanwhile, the state bears the responsibility for structuring societal institutions to help families both to meet their caretaking needs and to promote adequate human development.Less
Until now, American political thought and public policy have said little about the centrality of dependency in human lives, and the important role that families serve in dealing with it. Instead, they have generally conceptualized citizens as able adults, ignoring the fact that all citizens are, for significant periods of their lives, dependent on others to meet important needs. Focusing on the dependency of the human condition makes the picture of what citizens need more complex than this current conception would have it: Citizens require more than the liberty and equality that able adults might seek; they also need caretaking and human development. As our society is currently structured, these functions will largely be handled by families. The task of integrating dependency and the role that families play in dealing with it into the liberal democratic theory that undergirds American public policy is the subject of this book. It argues that supporting caretaking and human development are as central to the responsibilities of the state as ensuring a competent police force to ensure citizens' safety. In the “supportive state” model that is developed, the state's responsibility to support families does not usurp the responsibility of family members for meeting their members' dependency needs. Instead, families appropriately bear responsibility for the day-to-day caring for (or arranging the care for) members with dependency needs. Meanwhile, the state bears the responsibility for structuring societal institutions to help families both to meet their caretaking needs and to promote adequate human development.
Mark Regnerus and Jeremy Uecker
- Published in print:
- 2010
- Published Online:
- January 2011
- ISBN:
- 9780199743285
- eISBN:
- 9780199894741
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199743285.001.0001
- Subject:
- Religion, Religion and Society
This book tells the definitive story of the sexual and relationship values and practices of young adults. The authors draw upon their analysis of nationally representative data and ...
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This book tells the definitive story of the sexual and relationship values and practices of young adults. The authors draw upon their analysis of nationally representative data and scores of in-person interviews to help shed light on numerous questions about the sex lives of young Americans, including how long their relationships last, how quickly they become sexual, why the double standard is so stubborn, who remains a virgin and for how long, how gender imbalances in college change the rules of mating, the “price” of sex and its effects on relationship security, how online social networking and porn alter the market in relationships, how emerging adults think about marriage and relationship permanence, who marries early, why the age at marriage is rising rapidly, and how “red” and “blue” politics are reflected in our sexual choices. This book reveals striking disparities between college students and those who never pursued higher education, between conservatives and liberals, and between men and women in their experiences of romantic and sexual relationships. Although women continue to make great strides in higher education and the economy, their relationships are stalling and making many of them unhappy. Quests for sexual chemistry fall short or even backfire, revealing discordant experiences with serial monogamy among many men and women. And yet the powerful scripts of sexual equality and romantic individualism propel emerging adults forward to try again. The result is an omnibus study of sex and relationships in the lives of heterosexual emerging adults in America.Less
This book tells the definitive story of the sexual and relationship values and practices of young adults. The authors draw upon their analysis of nationally representative data and scores of in-person interviews to help shed light on numerous questions about the sex lives of young Americans, including how long their relationships last, how quickly they become sexual, why the double standard is so stubborn, who remains a virgin and for how long, how gender imbalances in college change the rules of mating, the “price” of sex and its effects on relationship security, how online social networking and porn alter the market in relationships, how emerging adults think about marriage and relationship permanence, who marries early, why the age at marriage is rising rapidly, and how “red” and “blue” politics are reflected in our sexual choices. This book reveals striking disparities between college students and those who never pursued higher education, between conservatives and liberals, and between men and women in their experiences of romantic and sexual relationships. Although women continue to make great strides in higher education and the economy, their relationships are stalling and making many of them unhappy. Quests for sexual chemistry fall short or even backfire, revealing discordant experiences with serial monogamy among many men and women. And yet the powerful scripts of sexual equality and romantic individualism propel emerging adults forward to try again. The result is an omnibus study of sex and relationships in the lives of heterosexual emerging adults in America.
Elizabeth Brake
- Published in print:
- 2012
- Published Online:
- May 2012
- ISBN:
- 9780199774142
- eISBN:
- 9780199933228
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199774142.001.0001
- Subject:
- Philosophy, Feminist Philosophy
Even in secular contexts, marriage retains sacramental connotations. Yet what is its moral significance? This book examines its morally salient features – promise, commitment, care, and contract – ...
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Even in secular contexts, marriage retains sacramental connotations. Yet what is its moral significance? This book examines its morally salient features – promise, commitment, care, and contract – with surprising results. In Part One, “De-Moralizing Marriage,” essays on promise and commitment argue that we cannot promise to love and so wedding vows are (mostly) failed promises, and that marriage may be a poor commitment strategy. The book contends with philosophical defenses of marriage to argue that marriage has no inherent moral significance. Further, privileging marriage sustains amatonormative discrimination – discrimination against non-amorous or non-exclusive caring relationships such as friendships, adult care networks, or polyamorous groups. The discussion raises issues of independent interest for the moral philosopher such as the limits of promising and nature of commitment. The central argument of Part Two, “Democratizing Marriage,” is that liberal reasons for recognizing same-sex marriage also require recognition of polyamorists, polygamists, friends, urban tribes, and adult care networks. Political liberalism requires the disestablishment of monogamous amatonormative marriage. Under public reason, a liberal state must refrain from basing law solely on moral or religious doctrines; but only such doctrines could furnish reason for restricting marriage to male-female couples or romantic dyads. Restrictions on marriage should be minimized. But there is a strong rationale for minimal marriage: social supports for care are a matter of fundamental justice. Part Two responds to challenges posed by property division, polygyny, and parenting, builds on feminist, queer, and anti-racist critiques of marriage, and argues for the compatibility of liberalism and feminism.Less
Even in secular contexts, marriage retains sacramental connotations. Yet what is its moral significance? This book examines its morally salient features – promise, commitment, care, and contract – with surprising results. In Part One, “De-Moralizing Marriage,” essays on promise and commitment argue that we cannot promise to love and so wedding vows are (mostly) failed promises, and that marriage may be a poor commitment strategy. The book contends with philosophical defenses of marriage to argue that marriage has no inherent moral significance. Further, privileging marriage sustains amatonormative discrimination – discrimination against non-amorous or non-exclusive caring relationships such as friendships, adult care networks, or polyamorous groups. The discussion raises issues of independent interest for the moral philosopher such as the limits of promising and nature of commitment. The central argument of Part Two, “Democratizing Marriage,” is that liberal reasons for recognizing same-sex marriage also require recognition of polyamorists, polygamists, friends, urban tribes, and adult care networks. Political liberalism requires the disestablishment of monogamous amatonormative marriage. Under public reason, a liberal state must refrain from basing law solely on moral or religious doctrines; but only such doctrines could furnish reason for restricting marriage to male-female couples or romantic dyads. Restrictions on marriage should be minimized. But there is a strong rationale for minimal marriage: social supports for care are a matter of fundamental justice. Part Two responds to challenges posed by property division, polygyny, and parenting, builds on feminist, queer, and anti-racist critiques of marriage, and argues for the compatibility of liberalism and feminism.
Stephen Macedo
- Published in print:
- 2015
- Published Online:
- October 2017
- ISBN:
- 9780691166483
- eISBN:
- 9781400865857
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Princeton University Press
- DOI:
- 10.23943/princeton/9780691166483.001.0001
- Subject:
- Law, Family Law
The institution of marriage stands at a critical juncture. As gay marriage equality gains acceptance in law and public opinion, questions abound regarding marriage's future. Will same-sex marriage ...
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The institution of marriage stands at a critical juncture. As gay marriage equality gains acceptance in law and public opinion, questions abound regarding marriage's future. Will same-sex marriage lead to more radical marriage reform? Should it? Antonin Scalia and many others on the right warn of a slippery slope from same-sex marriage toward polygamy, adult incest, and the dissolution of marriage as we know it. Equally, many academics, activists, and intellectuals on the left contend that there is no place for monogamous marriage as a special status defined by law. This book demonstrates that both sides are wrong: the same principles of democratic justice that demand marriage equality for same-sex couples also lend support to monogamous marriage. The book displays the groundlessness of arguments against same-sex marriage and defends marriage as a public institution against those who would eliminate its special status or supplant it with private arrangements. Arguing that monogamy reflects and cultivates our most basic democratic values, the book opposes the legal recognition of polygamy, but agrees with progressives that public policies should do more to support nontraditional caring and caregiving relationships. Throughout, the book explores the meaning of contemporary marriage and the reasons for its fragility and its enduring significance. Casting new light on today's debates over the future of marriage, the book lays the groundwork for a stronger institution.Less
The institution of marriage stands at a critical juncture. As gay marriage equality gains acceptance in law and public opinion, questions abound regarding marriage's future. Will same-sex marriage lead to more radical marriage reform? Should it? Antonin Scalia and many others on the right warn of a slippery slope from same-sex marriage toward polygamy, adult incest, and the dissolution of marriage as we know it. Equally, many academics, activists, and intellectuals on the left contend that there is no place for monogamous marriage as a special status defined by law. This book demonstrates that both sides are wrong: the same principles of democratic justice that demand marriage equality for same-sex couples also lend support to monogamous marriage. The book displays the groundlessness of arguments against same-sex marriage and defends marriage as a public institution against those who would eliminate its special status or supplant it with private arrangements. Arguing that monogamy reflects and cultivates our most basic democratic values, the book opposes the legal recognition of polygamy, but agrees with progressives that public policies should do more to support nontraditional caring and caregiving relationships. Throughout, the book explores the meaning of contemporary marriage and the reasons for its fragility and its enduring significance. Casting new light on today's debates over the future of marriage, the book lays the groundwork for a stronger institution.
S.C. Dube
- Published in print:
- 2012
- Published Online:
- September 2012
- ISBN:
- 9780198077312
- eISBN:
- 9780199081158
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198077312.001.0001
- Subject:
- Sociology, Social Stratification, Inequality, and Mobility
This book takes a comprehensive look at the Kamar tribe, an aboriginal tribe located within the Central Province (present day Chhattisgarh) of India. It presents an anthropological monograph on the ...
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This book takes a comprehensive look at the Kamar tribe, an aboriginal tribe located within the Central Province (present day Chhattisgarh) of India. It presents an anthropological monograph on the tribe, starting with a basic description of its location, population, and organization. The rest of the book is devoted to several aspects of the Kamar culture, including tribal law, its myths and rituals, attitudes towards marriage and sex, and religious ceremonies and rituals. The final part of the book focuses on the various changes that have occurred within the Kamar tribe due to the influences of other castes, tribes, and cultures. In order to clearly demonstrate the tribal organization, physical appearance, and sources of livelihood of the Kamars, several photographs and illustrations have been provided throughout the book.Less
This book takes a comprehensive look at the Kamar tribe, an aboriginal tribe located within the Central Province (present day Chhattisgarh) of India. It presents an anthropological monograph on the tribe, starting with a basic description of its location, population, and organization. The rest of the book is devoted to several aspects of the Kamar culture, including tribal law, its myths and rituals, attitudes towards marriage and sex, and religious ceremonies and rituals. The final part of the book focuses on the various changes that have occurred within the Kamar tribe due to the influences of other castes, tribes, and cultures. In order to clearly demonstrate the tribal organization, physical appearance, and sources of livelihood of the Kamars, several photographs and illustrations have been provided throughout the book.
Monique Deveaux
- Published in print:
- 2006
- Published Online:
- January 2007
- ISBN:
- 9780199289790
- eISBN:
- 9780191711022
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199289790.003.0006
- Subject:
- Political Science, Democratization
This chapter explores the ways in which particular liberal notions of personal autonomy sit uneasily with certain cultural practices, especially those of ‘traditional’ or nonliberal groups. It argues ...
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This chapter explores the ways in which particular liberal notions of personal autonomy sit uneasily with certain cultural practices, especially those of ‘traditional’ or nonliberal groups. It argues that idealized, substantive ideals of autonomy can impede attempts to understand, evaluate, and where necessary, reform cultural traditions. The particular example that provides the focus for this chapter is that of the public debate on arranged and forced marriages among some (mostly Muslim) South Asians in Briton, a practice which has in recent years attracted the attention of British media, politicians, and the public. By examining the ways in which arranged and forced marriage have been framed in public debates in Britain, this discussion sheds light both on the limitations of the liberal autonomy paradigm — with its emphasis on choice and consent — and demonstrates the importance of engaging minority communities in the evaluation and reform of their own traditions.Less
This chapter explores the ways in which particular liberal notions of personal autonomy sit uneasily with certain cultural practices, especially those of ‘traditional’ or nonliberal groups. It argues that idealized, substantive ideals of autonomy can impede attempts to understand, evaluate, and where necessary, reform cultural traditions. The particular example that provides the focus for this chapter is that of the public debate on arranged and forced marriages among some (mostly Muslim) South Asians in Briton, a practice which has in recent years attracted the attention of British media, politicians, and the public. By examining the ways in which arranged and forced marriage have been framed in public debates in Britain, this discussion sheds light both on the limitations of the liberal autonomy paradigm — with its emphasis on choice and consent — and demonstrates the importance of engaging minority communities in the evaluation and reform of their own traditions.
Monique Deveaux
- Published in print:
- 2006
- Published Online:
- January 2007
- ISBN:
- 9780199289790
- eISBN:
- 9780191711022
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199289790.003.0007
- Subject:
- Political Science, Democratization
Nowhere are the difficulties of protecting both the right to enjoy one’s culture and the right to sexual equality protections better illuminated than in the case of post-Apartheid South Africa. This ...
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Nowhere are the difficulties of protecting both the right to enjoy one’s culture and the right to sexual equality protections better illuminated than in the case of post-Apartheid South Africa. This chapter discusses efforts to reconcile constitutional recognition of African customary law (and to a lesser extent Muslim personal law) with formal protections for women’s sexual equality. It also presents the debate and consultations over the reform of African customary marriage (in the late 1990s in South Africa) as a good example of open-ended democratic deliberation grounded in principles of democratic legitimacy and political inclusion. It is this kind of model of deliberation that offers up the best solution to conflicts of culture, including those over gender roles, in socially plural, liberal constitutional democracies.Less
Nowhere are the difficulties of protecting both the right to enjoy one’s culture and the right to sexual equality protections better illuminated than in the case of post-Apartheid South Africa. This chapter discusses efforts to reconcile constitutional recognition of African customary law (and to a lesser extent Muslim personal law) with formal protections for women’s sexual equality. It also presents the debate and consultations over the reform of African customary marriage (in the late 1990s in South Africa) as a good example of open-ended democratic deliberation grounded in principles of democratic legitimacy and political inclusion. It is this kind of model of deliberation that offers up the best solution to conflicts of culture, including those over gender roles, in socially plural, liberal constitutional democracies.
Antoinette Burton
- Published in print:
- 2003
- Published Online:
- January 2010
- ISBN:
- 9780195144253
- eISBN:
- 9780199871919
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195144253.001.0001
- Subject:
- History, Middle East History
This book uses the writing of three 20th century Indian women to interrogate the status of the traditional archive, reading their memoirs, fictions, and histories as counter-narratives of colonial ...
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This book uses the writing of three 20th century Indian women to interrogate the status of the traditional archive, reading their memoirs, fictions, and histories as counter-narratives of colonial modernity. Janaki Majumdar was the daughter of the first president of the Indian National Congress. Her unpublished “Family History” (1935) stages the story of her parents' transnational marriage as a series of homes the family inhabited in Britain and India — thereby providing a heretofore unavailable narrative of the domestic face of 19th century Indian nationalism. Cornelia Sorabji was one of the first Indian women to qualify for the bar. Her memoirs (1934 and 1936) demonstrate her determination to rescue the zenana (women's quarters) and purdahnashin (secluded women) from the recesses of the orthodox home in order to counter the emancipationist claims of Gandhian nationalism. Last but not least, Attia Hosain's 1961 novel, Sunlight on Broken Column, represents the violence and trauma of partition through the biography of a young heroine called Laila and her family home. Taken together, their writings raise questions about what counts as an archive, offering insights into the relationship of women to memory and history, gender to fact and fiction, and feminism to nationalism and postcolonialism.Less
This book uses the writing of three 20th century Indian women to interrogate the status of the traditional archive, reading their memoirs, fictions, and histories as counter-narratives of colonial modernity. Janaki Majumdar was the daughter of the first president of the Indian National Congress. Her unpublished “Family History” (1935) stages the story of her parents' transnational marriage as a series of homes the family inhabited in Britain and India — thereby providing a heretofore unavailable narrative of the domestic face of 19th century Indian nationalism. Cornelia Sorabji was one of the first Indian women to qualify for the bar. Her memoirs (1934 and 1936) demonstrate her determination to rescue the zenana (women's quarters) and purdahnashin (secluded women) from the recesses of the orthodox home in order to counter the emancipationist claims of Gandhian nationalism. Last but not least, Attia Hosain's 1961 novel, Sunlight on Broken Column, represents the violence and trauma of partition through the biography of a young heroine called Laila and her family home. Taken together, their writings raise questions about what counts as an archive, offering insights into the relationship of women to memory and history, gender to fact and fiction, and feminism to nationalism and postcolonialism.
Rosanna Hertz
- Published in print:
- 2008
- Published Online:
- May 2012
- ISBN:
- 9780195179903
- eISBN:
- 9780199944118
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195179903.003.0020
- Subject:
- Sociology, Marriage and the Family
This chapter introduces Part III of the book. Women who have managed to free themselves from the social norms of married motherhood have done so as reluctant revolutionaries. They did not set out to ...
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This chapter introduces Part III of the book. Women who have managed to free themselves from the social norms of married motherhood have done so as reluctant revolutionaries. They did not set out to break new ground, but wanting a child before time ran out took precedence over following tradition. They relieve themselves of the burden of chasing marriage, only to be shouldered with the new trials of single motherhood. Today, women can be single mothers as an alternative to the nuclear family, with one catch: making this choice means making a promise to stay below the radar. That is to say, as long as they and not the government finance their motherhood; as long as they make their children fit society, not force society to fit their children; and as long as they reshape their individual jobs, not the workplace as a whole, they can be single mothers.Less
This chapter introduces Part III of the book. Women who have managed to free themselves from the social norms of married motherhood have done so as reluctant revolutionaries. They did not set out to break new ground, but wanting a child before time ran out took precedence over following tradition. They relieve themselves of the burden of chasing marriage, only to be shouldered with the new trials of single motherhood. Today, women can be single mothers as an alternative to the nuclear family, with one catch: making this choice means making a promise to stay below the radar. That is to say, as long as they and not the government finance their motherhood; as long as they make their children fit society, not force society to fit their children; and as long as they reshape their individual jobs, not the workplace as a whole, they can be single mothers.
David D'Avray (ed.)
- Published in print:
- 2001
- Published Online:
- January 2010
- ISBN:
- 9780198208143
- eISBN:
- 9780191716522
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198208143.001.0001
- Subject:
- History, British and Irish Medieval History
Before the advent of printing, the preaching of the friars was the mass medium of the middle ages. This edition of marriage sermons reveals what a number of famous preachers actually taught about ...
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Before the advent of printing, the preaching of the friars was the mass medium of the middle ages. This edition of marriage sermons reveals what a number of famous preachers actually taught about marriage, teasing out the close connection between marriage symbolism and social, cultural, and legal realities in the 13th century. The relation between genre, content, and gender is analysed, with particular attention to the likely impact of preaching, viewed as a means of intellectual power in competition with vernacular genres and other social forces. Its mass diffusion anticipated printing, but the means of production were those of the monastic scriptorium. The textual criticism and palaeographical analysis of these sermons undermine central assumptions of both medieval and early modern historians of the book, establishing a technique of textual criticism appropriate for texts of this kind. A pragmatic compromise between simple transcriptions which ignore stemmatic relation and full-scale editions attempting to fit all manuscripts into a genealogical table, this book addresses both the sermon literature of the period and the understanding of marriage and its religious and cultural significance in the middle ages.Less
Before the advent of printing, the preaching of the friars was the mass medium of the middle ages. This edition of marriage sermons reveals what a number of famous preachers actually taught about marriage, teasing out the close connection between marriage symbolism and social, cultural, and legal realities in the 13th century. The relation between genre, content, and gender is analysed, with particular attention to the likely impact of preaching, viewed as a means of intellectual power in competition with vernacular genres and other social forces. Its mass diffusion anticipated printing, but the means of production were those of the monastic scriptorium. The textual criticism and palaeographical analysis of these sermons undermine central assumptions of both medieval and early modern historians of the book, establishing a technique of textual criticism appropriate for texts of this kind. A pragmatic compromise between simple transcriptions which ignore stemmatic relation and full-scale editions attempting to fit all manuscripts into a genealogical table, this book addresses both the sermon literature of the period and the understanding of marriage and its religious and cultural significance in the middle ages.
Cordelia Beattie
- Published in print:
- 2007
- Published Online:
- September 2008
- ISBN:
- 9780199283415
- eISBN:
- 9780191712616
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199283415.001.0001
- Subject:
- History, British and Irish Medieval History
This book is a focused study of the use of the category ‘single woman’ in late medieval England. In a culture in which marriage was the desirable norm and virginity was particularly prized in ...
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This book is a focused study of the use of the category ‘single woman’ in late medieval England. In a culture in which marriage was the desirable norm and virginity was particularly prized in females, the categories ‘virgin’ and ‘widow’ held particular significance. But the law gave unmarried women legal rights and responsibilities that were generally withheld from married women. The pervasiveness of religion and the law in people's day-to-day lives led to a complex interplay between moral and economic concerns in how medieval women were conceptualized. The result is different unmarried women are marked out as ‘single women’ in different contexts. This study is therefore revealing of the multiplicity of ways in which dominant cultural ideas impacted on medieval women. It also offers a way into the complex process of social classification in late medieval England. All societies use classificatory schemes in order to understand and to impose order on society. This study views classification as a political act: those classifying must make choices about what divisions are most important or about who falls into which category, and such choices have repercussions. When those classifying choose what defines a group or how an individual should be labelled, they choose between certain variables, such as social status, gender, or age, and decide which to prioritize. This study does not isolate gender as a variable, but examines how it relates to other social cleavages.Less
This book is a focused study of the use of the category ‘single woman’ in late medieval England. In a culture in which marriage was the desirable norm and virginity was particularly prized in females, the categories ‘virgin’ and ‘widow’ held particular significance. But the law gave unmarried women legal rights and responsibilities that were generally withheld from married women. The pervasiveness of religion and the law in people's day-to-day lives led to a complex interplay between moral and economic concerns in how medieval women were conceptualized. The result is different unmarried women are marked out as ‘single women’ in different contexts. This study is therefore revealing of the multiplicity of ways in which dominant cultural ideas impacted on medieval women. It also offers a way into the complex process of social classification in late medieval England. All societies use classificatory schemes in order to understand and to impose order on society. This study views classification as a political act: those classifying must make choices about what divisions are most important or about who falls into which category, and such choices have repercussions. When those classifying choose what defines a group or how an individual should be labelled, they choose between certain variables, such as social status, gender, or age, and decide which to prioritize. This study does not isolate gender as a variable, but examines how it relates to other social cleavages.
Cheshire Calhoun
- Published in print:
- 2002
- Published Online:
- November 2003
- ISBN:
- 9780199257669
- eISBN:
- 9780191598906
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/0199257663.003.0005
- Subject:
- Political Science, Political Theory
The positive arguments for same‐sex marriage are discussed. The first argument links marriage rights to a normative ideal of long‐term, monogamous, sexually faithful intimacy, and defends marriage ...
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The positive arguments for same‐sex marriage are discussed. The first argument links marriage rights to a normative ideal of long‐term, monogamous, sexually faithful intimacy, and defends marriage rights based on the value of that ideal. The second argument presses the connection between homophobia and sexism, stressing the way that securing same‐sex marriage rights might reduce sexism. The third argument links the denial of marriage rights to the cultural construction of gay men and lesbians as outsiders to the family, who are for that reason defective citizens. In pursuing this third line of argument, the US House and Senate arguments supporting the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) of 1996 are addressed.Less
The positive arguments for same‐sex marriage are discussed. The first argument links marriage rights to a normative ideal of long‐term, monogamous, sexually faithful intimacy, and defends marriage rights based on the value of that ideal. The second argument presses the connection between homophobia and sexism, stressing the way that securing same‐sex marriage rights might reduce sexism. The third argument links the denial of marriage rights to the cultural construction of gay men and lesbians as outsiders to the family, who are for that reason defective citizens. In pursuing this third line of argument, the US House and Senate arguments supporting the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) of 1996 are addressed.
Joanna L. Grossman and Lawrence M. Friedman
- Published in print:
- 2011
- Published Online:
- October 2017
- ISBN:
- 9780691149820
- eISBN:
- 9781400839773
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Princeton University Press
- DOI:
- 10.23943/princeton/9780691149820.003.0002
- Subject:
- Law, Family Law
This chapter explores the rise and fall of marriage restrictions rooted in racism and eugenics, as well as the persistence of other, more enduring, impediments to marriage—like bigamy, incest, and ...
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This chapter explores the rise and fall of marriage restrictions rooted in racism and eugenics, as well as the persistence of other, more enduring, impediments to marriage—like bigamy, incest, and youth. Central to the story of state marriage regulation is the establishment, beginning in the 1960s, of constitutional protection for the “right” to marry, which limited, at least at the margins, the freedom of states to impose certain restrictions on marriage. But also central, in a system dominated by state law, are the rules of interstate marriage recognition, which dictate whether marriages travel across state lines. In broad brush, this chapter tells a story of increasing marital freedom, reined in only by a handful of seemingly immoveable social norms.Less
This chapter explores the rise and fall of marriage restrictions rooted in racism and eugenics, as well as the persistence of other, more enduring, impediments to marriage—like bigamy, incest, and youth. Central to the story of state marriage regulation is the establishment, beginning in the 1960s, of constitutional protection for the “right” to marry, which limited, at least at the margins, the freedom of states to impose certain restrictions on marriage. But also central, in a system dominated by state law, are the rules of interstate marriage recognition, which dictate whether marriages travel across state lines. In broad brush, this chapter tells a story of increasing marital freedom, reined in only by a handful of seemingly immoveable social norms.
Stephen Macedo
- Published in print:
- 2015
- Published Online:
- October 2017
- ISBN:
- 9780691166483
- eISBN:
- 9781400865857
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Princeton University Press
- DOI:
- 10.23943/princeton/9780691166483.003.0004
- Subject:
- Law, Family Law
This chapter examines conservative arguments from the gendered nature of marriage as a relation of husband and wife, and others based on children's interests. It first considers the conservatives' ...
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This chapter examines conservative arguments from the gendered nature of marriage as a relation of husband and wife, and others based on children's interests. It first considers the conservatives' idea of marriage as an essentially gendered relationship of husband and wife before discussing the debate in the U.S. Senate in 2004 over a Federal Marriage Amendment (FMA) to the Constitution. In particular, it explores two main claims advanced by Republican supporters of the FMA on the Senate floor: first, that traditional heterosexual marriage tends to promote children's wellbeing (which is true), and, second, that same-sex matrimony would damage or destroy heterosexual marriage. The chapter proceeds by reviewing the evidence regarding the impact of same-sex marriage on children's welfare and concludes by asking whether greater acceptance of marriages between gay males could contribute to the weakening of marriage.Less
This chapter examines conservative arguments from the gendered nature of marriage as a relation of husband and wife, and others based on children's interests. It first considers the conservatives' idea of marriage as an essentially gendered relationship of husband and wife before discussing the debate in the U.S. Senate in 2004 over a Federal Marriage Amendment (FMA) to the Constitution. In particular, it explores two main claims advanced by Republican supporters of the FMA on the Senate floor: first, that traditional heterosexual marriage tends to promote children's wellbeing (which is true), and, second, that same-sex matrimony would damage or destroy heterosexual marriage. The chapter proceeds by reviewing the evidence regarding the impact of same-sex marriage on children's welfare and concludes by asking whether greater acceptance of marriages between gay males could contribute to the weakening of marriage.
Amy M. Froide
- Published in print:
- 2005
- Published Online:
- September 2007
- ISBN:
- 9780199270606
- eISBN:
- 9780191710216
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199270606.001.0001
- Subject:
- History, British and Irish Early Modern History
This book presents original research on women who never married in early modern England. It reintroduces us to the category of marital status and to the significant ways it shaped the life ...
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This book presents original research on women who never married in early modern England. It reintroduces us to the category of marital status and to the significant ways it shaped the life experiences of early modern women. The book argues that to understand early modern women we need to de-center marriage and not accept the marital couple as the norm. It is both a socio-economic and cultural study of singlewomen. It reveals the importance of kinship for women without husbands and children as well as the significant roles that singlewomen played in their own kin groups as caretakers and providers. It examines the contributions of working and propertied singlewomen in early modern towns. It also traces the origins of the spinster and old maid stereotypes to the late 17th century, revealing how singlewomen became marginalized in Protestant English society. The book concludes by examining the writing of never-married women and what it reveals about their own views on singleness. While few women chose singleness outright, many women who never married lived full lives and made important contributions to their families and communities.Less
This book presents original research on women who never married in early modern England. It reintroduces us to the category of marital status and to the significant ways it shaped the life experiences of early modern women. The book argues that to understand early modern women we need to de-center marriage and not accept the marital couple as the norm. It is both a socio-economic and cultural study of singlewomen. It reveals the importance of kinship for women without husbands and children as well as the significant roles that singlewomen played in their own kin groups as caretakers and providers. It examines the contributions of working and propertied singlewomen in early modern towns. It also traces the origins of the spinster and old maid stereotypes to the late 17th century, revealing how singlewomen became marginalized in Protestant English society. The book concludes by examining the writing of never-married women and what it reveals about their own views on singleness. While few women chose singleness outright, many women who never married lived full lives and made important contributions to their families and communities.
David Albert Jones
- Published in print:
- 2007
- Published Online:
- September 2007
- ISBN:
- 9780199213009
- eISBN:
- 9780191707179
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199213009.003.0007
- Subject:
- Religion, Church History
This chapter examines the clergy's core task of leading worship in their parishes. It explores the evidence about Sunday services, about how frequently they were held, the manner in which they were ...
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This chapter examines the clergy's core task of leading worship in their parishes. It explores the evidence about Sunday services, about how frequently they were held, the manner in which they were conducted, the conscientiousness or not of the clergy, the frequency of weekday services, and the frequency and manner of celebrating Holy Communion. The extent of the participation of lay people in conducting worship is examined, especially in terms of music, in choirs, and the attitude of the clergy to this. The observation of Church fasts and festivals is examined, as well as the involvement of clergy in communal celebrations, such as fairs and friendly societies. The role of the clergy in churchings, baptisms, and weddings, including ‘clandestine marriage’, involving more or less serious legal irregularities in conducting a marriage, is investigated.Less
This chapter examines the clergy's core task of leading worship in their parishes. It explores the evidence about Sunday services, about how frequently they were held, the manner in which they were conducted, the conscientiousness or not of the clergy, the frequency of weekday services, and the frequency and manner of celebrating Holy Communion. The extent of the participation of lay people in conducting worship is examined, especially in terms of music, in choirs, and the attitude of the clergy to this. The observation of Church fasts and festivals is examined, as well as the involvement of clergy in communal celebrations, such as fairs and friendly societies. The role of the clergy in churchings, baptisms, and weddings, including ‘clandestine marriage’, involving more or less serious legal irregularities in conducting a marriage, is investigated.