Muslim marriages have been the focus of considerable public debate in Europe and beyond, in Muslim-majority countries as well as in settings where Muslims are a minority. Most academic work has focused on how the majority Sunni Muslims conclude marriages. This volume, in contrast, focuses on Twelver Shi'a Muslims in Iran, Pakistan, Oman, Indonesia, Norway, and the Netherlands. The volume makes an original contribution to understanding the global dynamics of Shi'a marriage practices in a wide range of contexts--not only its geographical spread but also by providing a critical analysis of the socio-economic, religious, ethnic, and political discourses of each context. The book sheds light on new marriage forms presented through a bottom up approach focusing on the lived experiences of Shi'a Muslims negotiating a diverse range of relationships and forms of belonging.
About the Author
YAFA SHANNEIK is a lecturer in Islamic studies at the University of Birmingham in the UK.
ANNELIES MOORS is an anthropologist and professor emerita at the University of Amsterdam in the Netherlands.
Praise For…
"In this pioneering book, Shanneik and Moors have deftly amended the dearth of scholarly books on Shi’i cultures and traditions. The ethnographically diverse chapters brought together in this collected volume on the Global Dynamics of Shi’a Marriages engage with local practices as they are embedded within the wider contexts of migration, diaspora and transnationalism. It is a very timely and accessible book, and I highly recommend it." — Shahla Haeri
"Global Dynamics of Shi’a Marriages is a fascinating addition to the emerging literature on marriage and sexuality in the Muslim world. Young people engage in 'dating cultures' facilitated by mobile phones, young women are reluctant to live with in-laws, and there is a growing desire for love-based marriages. While the authority of the older generation has been diminished, the move towards more companionate marriages in every Shi’a community still involves family negotiations over choice of partner, marital gifts, and wedding expenses." — Janet Afary
