BETROTHAL’S SPOUSE SELECTION CRITERIA AMONG KIN AND NON-KIN FAMILY IN ISLAMABAD, PAKISTAN

Abstract

Kin selection is still dominant criteria of spouse selection in Pakistani society. Irrespective of well-known post conflicts in consanguineous marriage, the phenomenon of cousin marriage in Pakistani society is on rise. Betrothal or engagement is necessary practice before the contract of marriage. It can be argued that betrothal is a trial marriage. Historically, betrothal has been practicing almost everywhere in the world. Earliest evidence dated with the evidence of Jews. In Christianity, betrothals were considered near to marriage and formal contract was done at the occasion of betrothal ceremony. Different reasons and various arguments are made in favor of kin betrothal. Purity of blood and preservation of land along with strengthening ties are the most common reasons found in literature for kin betrothal. Qualitative method of research has been used to analyzed subjective understandings of spouse selection considerations. The universe of the current research was Islamabad including rural, suburban and urban regions. In addition, sample size of this study was 40 respondents; 15 betrothed couples (who are engaged with cousin and non-cousins) and 10 parents (both male and female, who selected their son in laws and daughter in laws from kin and non-kin relatives) were under investigation. Besides this, purposive sampling technique was employed. Research data were collected through using android cellphone and recording device with the help of interview-guide as well as technique of collected data was face-to-face in-depth interviews and focus group discussions (FGD’s). Research data was analyzed with the used of qualitative software, NVIVO. This research can be generalized with its limitations for instance, contextually its implications may vary. Spouse selections criteria have been changing among individuals as well as in parents’ preferences for in-law’s selection. In addition, findings suggest that ideal selection are different from real selection, people are getting betrothed under less and contradictory criteria. Moreover, results iii revealed that in kin community people are more compromised over their desirable determinants as compare to non-kin family. Particularly, across gender this difference is greatly experienced by female. People showed their less concern towards kin betrothal, it is because they want to escape from social pressure and involvement of family members in their personal life. Finally, results disclosed that parents are more conscious about collective capital (such as family background, economic, social and cultural capital) than individualistic characteristics (spouse’ education, job or character) which are more valuable for individuals. It has been observed that kin-betrothed couple and parents (whose children got kin betrothed) are not satisfied enough as nonkin couples and parents are.