Anthropology 1120: Cultural Relativism and the Practice of Polygamy

This essay provides an anthropological view of polygamy, examining it through the lens of cultural relativism. It begins by defining culture and its influence on human behavior, then delves into the cultural practice of polygamy, particularly within Islamic culture. The essay discusses the historical context, motivations, and social implications of polygamy, contrasting different perspectives on the practice. It presents a personal viewpoint against polygamy, citing human rights and equality concerns, and concludes by emphasizing the role of cultural beliefs in shaping individual practices. Desklib provides access to a wide range of academic resources, including essays and solved assignments, to support students in their studies.

Running head: CULTURAL ANTHROPOLOGY
Cultural Anthropology
Name of the Student:
Name of the University:
Author’s Note:

1CULTURAL ANTHROPOLOGY
As opined by Pipes (2017), culture refers to the accumulation of diverse entities of the
lives of the human beings like their traditions, values, beliefs, practices, habits and others.
Nurmila and Bennett (2015) are of the viewpoint that the construct of culture have been
wielding a substantial amount of influence on the lives of the human beings since the
traditional times. More importantly, it is seen that the practices as well as the behavior of the
human beings are largely dictated by the culture or tradition to which they ascribe. The net
result of this is the fact an analysis of the different cultural traditions and the routine practices
of the individuals are likely to reveal a significant amount of detail regarding the social
history and also the factors which have shaped the present behavior of the modern human
beings (Layish, 2017).
Chaudhary, Al-Shawaf and Buss (2018) argue that culture as well as the cultural
traditions followed by the individuals contributes in a substantial manner towards the identity
or the personality of the individuals. In addition to this, it is seen that the cultural practices of
one culture are often repudiated or criticized by the followers of other cultures. This can be
explained on the basis of the fact that the people from other cultures are unable to
comprehend the significance of the practices or activities followed by the people of a
particular culture or the cultural connotations of these practices. This report will analyze the
cultural practice of polygamy on the basis of my own Canadian culture.
According to Zeitzen (2018), the cultural practice of polygamy refers to the activity of
having more than one spouse or wives by one man. On the other hand, the same practice or
activity when followed by a woman is called by the name of polyandry. Nurmila and Bennett
(2015) are of the viewpoint that this is not a nascent concept and as a matter of fact the
evidence for its usage dates back from the dawn of human civilization. For example, in the
pre-historic times it was seen that the male members of the tribes used to keep multiple wives
and their prestige as well as honor depended on the number of wives that they were able to

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keep (Ali, 2015). It is pertinent to note that in the recent times because of the change in social
structure, women empowerment and other factors this system has to a great degree ceased to
exist within the framework of the contemporary society. However, it is seen that the people
following the Islamic culture and religion still follow this cultural practice and keep multiple
wives within one single house and it is completed accepted by the Islamic laws that they
follow (Rørbæk, 2016).
Chaudhary, Al-Shawaf and Buss (2018) are of the viewpoint that the practice of
polygamy began to be practiced by the Muslims during the “Crusade Wars” (1095 – 1291)
with the Roman Catholic Church. It is pertinent to note that during this time a lot of Muslims
died and there were no bread earners left in their families who could feed the women and also
the children. The net result of this was the fact that the Ulamas (Islamic scholars) came up
with the idea that the male individuals with enough wealth can marry the more than one
woman so as to support them both financially as well as emotionally (Saeed, 2018).
However, this practice which was the need of the 13th century because of the crisis caused by
the wars has been ingrained within the culture of the Muslims and it is seen that the Muslims
even in the 21st century are resorting to the use of this practice even though the modern
women are quite capable of supporting themselves both emotionally as well as financially
(Zeitzen, 2018).
The practice under discussion here not only involves the male and the female
individuals who are entering into the sacred bond of marriage but at the same time it directly
affects the other wives of the male individual who is taking a new wife and also the family
members of the people involved in the process as well (Rosen, 2018). Furthermore, it is seen
that the process involves a complex social event or ceremony wherein the male and the
female individual are required to take the sacred vows before the religious priests and other
witnesses. This ceremony can take place in the house of the persons involved in the process

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or at any other convenient places. It is pertinent to note within the Islamic culture unlike the
earlier motivational factors which propelled the individuals to indulge in such a process, the
contemporary Muslims indulge in such practices because of a plethora of other factors. Some
of the most common motivational factors for taking the help of such a process are sexual or
procreation needs of the male individuals, economic benefits, social status and others (Ali,
2015). Bartkowski et al. (2018) have stated that within the framework of the Islamic cultural
tradition it is seen that the prestige as well as the social position of the male individuals are
determined to a great extent by the number of wives or mates a male individual has. This is
perhaps one of the major reasons for the widespread usage as well as practice of the cultural
tradition of polygamy within the construct of Islamic culture.
The practice of polygamy has become an integral part of the Islamic culture and the
male members of the community are required to indulge in this cultural practice. For
example, it is seen that they are being taught about the importance of this practice right from
their early childhood and as a matter of fact the religious texts of the Islamic religion like
Quran and others support this practice (Pipes, 2017). In addition to the female individuals are
also taught from a very early age the need to accept this practice and also the manner in
which they should behave or act once they have entered into such kind of relationship with a
man. As already mentioned, the number of wives that a man has forms an integral part of his
social identity as well as reputation and this is directly related to the number of children that
they are likely to have in the future times (Ali, 2015). More importantly, the number of sons
that a particular man has also contributes in a substantial manner towards the social prestige,
reputation as well as power that a man is likely to hold within the framework of the
contemporary Islamic society. The net result of these factors is the fact that the practice of
polygamy has come to form an important part of the Islamic religion itself.

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People hold mixed opinions regarding the use the practice of polygamy and also
regarding the benefits that it offers to the individuals and the society at large. For example,
there are one set of people who argue that fidelity and loyalty are important attributes that
both the male as well as female individuals need to follow within a particular relation and
thus they should resist from the use of the process of polygamy (Chaudhary, Al-Shawaf &
Buss, 2018). More important, Bartkowski et al. (2018) argue that the construct of polygamy
is build in such a manner that it offers the maximum amount of benefits to the male members
and as a matter of fact totally disregards the interests of the females. Thus, these individuals
are of the viewpoint that the use of the process of polygamy should be discontinued. On the
other hand, there are individuals who believe that the process of polygamy forms an integral
part of the Islamic religion and their cultural tradition and thus should not be discontinued
(Nurmila & Bennett, 2015). These people argue on the basis of the fact that even in the 21st
century the Islamic society has not changed in a substantial manner and the only possible way
through which the female individuals can gain stability as well as security is by entering into
a marriage bond with the male members of the society (Bartkowski et al., 2018).
I personally believe that the process of polygamy is a derogatory one and should be
discontinued because of the precarious position in which they put the women. I agree with the
viewpoint that during the time of the Crusade Wars it was actually the need of the hour since
it was seen that the people belonging to the impoverished economic backgrounds were the
ones who mainly participated in the war. Thus, the law was passed stating that the people
who had the necessary economic resources and also would be able to emotionally satisfy the
widowed women can take more than one wife. However, in the 21st century the situation of
the women had undergone a substantial amount of change since it is seen that the women no
longer had to depend on the male members of their family or society for financial, emotion
and other kinds of supports (Zeitzen, 2018). More importantly, I of the viewpoint that the

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modern women no longer are dependent of the male members for their identity as well as
social position within the societal framework. For example, it is seen that the modern women
are on par with the male members of the society not only in terms of education but the kind
of job roles that they are performing and other aspects.
I believe that this practice is a gross violation of the basic human rights which are
being offered to the women not only by the constitutions of the different countries of the
world but at the same time the United Nations as well. For example, the “International Treaty
and Convention Law” of which Canada is a signatory nation requires it to takes measures to
enhance the safety as well growth of women and children (Justice.gc.ca, 2018). One of the
most important precepts of the treat is the fact that the nation has “a legal obligation to
respect, protect, promote and fulfill this right to non-discrimination for women and to ensure
the development and advancement of women in order to improve their position to one of de
jure as well as de facto equality with men” (Justice.gc.ca, 2018). In addition to this, the nation
of Canada considers the right to live in a respectful manner as one of the most basic rights of
the individuals and also the nation actively prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex, age
and other attributes.
I personally believe that the process of polygamy discriminates the women in
comparison to men by allowing men the freedom to have more than one wife. This is not only
derogatory but at the same time limits the freedom which is available to the female
individuals in comparison to the male members of the society. This is probably one of the
major reasons why the practice of polygamy is not being allowed by the national government
of Canada and as a matter of fact that the people of the nation do not like to indulge in this
kind of practices. Furthermore, I would like to say that I personally believe that this is an
immoral as well as unethical practice since one of the most basic vows that the individuals
take during marriage are the vows of loyalty and fidelity. However, I am of the viewpoint that

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the men through the use of this practice are given the right to break or disregard these very
basic vows of marriage which makes the process of marriage a sacred one.
To conclude, the identity as well as the practices of the individuals is determined to a
great extent by the kind of cultural beliefs as well as religion that the individuals follow. In
this regard, it needs to be said that the practice of polygamy is one such activity which is
directly dictated by the religion as well as the cultural practices of the Muslim people. In this
regard, it needs to be said that at the time of the articulation of the idea it was a much needed
construct however since then the societal framework has undergone a significant amount of
change and thus the framework is no longer needed. In addition to this, it is seen that this
practice has been integrated into the cultural framework of the Muslim people and to a great
extent determines their life and also the power as well as prestige that they hold within the
society.

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References
Ali, K. (2015). Sexual ethics and Islam: Feminist reflections on Qur'an, Hadith and
Jurisprudence. Oneworld Publications.
Bartkowski, J. P., Acevedo, G. A., Karakeci, G., & Campbell, F. (2018). Islam and Support
for Gender Inequality among Women in Turkey: Comparing Attitudes across
Institutional Contexts. American Journal of Islamic Social Sciences 35: 4, 25.
Chaudhary, N., Al-Shawaf, L., & Buss, D. M. (2018). Mate competition in Pakistan: Mate
value, mate retention, and competitor derogation. Personality and Individual
Differences, 130, 141-146.
Justice.gc.ca, (2018). Polygyny As A Violation Of International Human Rights Law -
Polygyny and Canada's Obligations under International Human Rights Law [online].
Retrieved from https://www.justice.gc.ca/eng/rp-pr/other-autre/poly/chap3.html
Layish, A. (2017). Women and Islamic law in a non-Muslim state: A study based on decisions
of the Shari'a courts in Israel. Routledge.
Nurmila, N., & Bennett, L. R. (2015). The sexual politics of polygamy in Indonesian
marriage. Sex and sexualities in contemporary Indonesia: Sexual politics, health,
diversity and representations, 69-87.
Pipes, D. (2017). In the path of God: Islam and political power. Routledge.
Rørbæk, L. L. (2016). Islamic Culture, Oil, and Women's Rights Revisited. Politics and
Religion, 9(1), 61-83.
Rosen, L. (2018). Islam and the Rule of Justice: Image and Reality in Muslim Law and
Culture. University of Chicago Press.

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Saeed, A. (2018). Islam, human rights and women. In Human Rights and Islam. Edward
Elgar Publishing.
Zeitzen, M. K. (2018). Elite Malay Polygamy: Wives, Wealth and Woes in Malaysia (Vol.
41). Berghahn Books.
Zeitzen, M. K. (2018). Married but Available. Berghahn Books.