


Male children are preferred, therefore are better cared for then female offspring (Bonvillain 2010: 218-219).

For instance, the Nyinba of Nepal practice fraternal polyandry because there is not enough land to divide between brothers and the high mortality rate of female child and infant mortality. One reason that polyandry might be the preferred marriage pattern for a group is if there is a shortage of women or land is scarce. Polyandry mostly occurs between a woman and brothers, a system referred to as fraternal polyandry. Polyandry refers to a marriage between a woman and multiple men. Polygyny is the correct term for a marriage between a man and multiple women. Generally when polygamy is mentioned by the media, a marriage between a man and multiple women is being referenced however, the term is being misused. Polygamy, the union between three or more individuals is the second most common form of marriage.
Serial monogamy definition sociology serial#
Serial monogamy, where an individual has multiple spouses over their lifetime, but only one at a time, is quite common in industrial societies. For instance, certain states in Mexico allow same-sex marriage, but not the entire nation. In other countries, the debate continues over whether or not to legalize same-sex marriage or guarantee rights to homosexuals. As of early 2015, The Netherlands, Spain, Canada, South Africa, Norway, Sweden, Portugal, Iceland, Argentina, Denmark, Brazil, France, Uruguay, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, Luxembourg, and Finland legally allow same-sex marriage. While monogamy traditionally referred to the union of one man and one woman, there are some countries that recognize same-sex unions. Monogamy, the union between two individuals, is the most common form of marriage.
