Psychosocial Impact of Polygamy in the Middle East is the first to deal with polygamy in the Middle East in a comprehensive way. This book fills a gap in the literature by addressing the question of the psychosocial impact of polygamy on all members of polygamous families by offering a new way of examining family structure, such as father-mother, father-children, mother-children relationships, and the relationships between offspring from different mothers. It introduces a model for intervention with polygamous families for scholars and practitioners. This book also explores Islam’s role in polygamy as well as the social and economic consequences of the phenomena.

"One powerful structural factor which enforces and replicates patterns of male dominance is the practice of polygyny, which is shown by data to be harmful to women, children, men, and society"--

This book examines Islam and women’s everyday life, focusing in particular on the highly controversial issue of polygamy. It discusses the competing Islamic interpretations of polygamy, and - based on detailed fieldwork conducted in Indonesia - women’s actual experiences and perceptions of the practice, and the impact of public policy.

"Captivating, provocative, and groundbreaking. Taking up the mandate that women's realities matter, Majeed writes with depth and analytical rigor about a topic we have scarcely begun to understand."--Amina Wadud, author of Inside The Gender Jihad "Tackles the contours and intimacies of a much practiced but seldom spoken about quasi-marriage that leaves women without legal support. A much-needed text on an extremely sensitive topic. Majeed excavates this terrain with finesse and a deft scholarly hand."--Aminah Beverly McCloud, coeditor of An Introduction to Islam in the 21st Century "Utilizes ethnographic research methods to imaginatively and constructively complexify the reality of polygyny in the lives of African American Muslim women."--Linda Elaine Thomas, author of Under the Canopy "Majeed's womanist approach is critical, yet balanced enough to include the concerns of women, men, and children, affording readers a broad and vital gaze into the lives of these unconventional households."--Zain Abdullah, author of Black Mecca "A powerful and long overdue study of polygyny in African American Muslim communities."--Shabana Mir, author of Muslim American Women on Campus Debra Majeed sheds light on families whose form and function conflict with U.S. civil law. Polygyny--multiple-wife marriage--has steadily emerged as an alternative to the low numbers of marriageable African American men and the high number of female-led households in black America. This book features the voices of women who welcome polygyny, oppose it, acquiesce to it, or even negotiate power in its practices. Majeed examines the choices available to African American Muslim women who are considering polygyny or who are living it. She calls attention to the ways in which interpretations of Islam's primary sources are authorized or legitimated to regulate the rights of Muslim women. Highlighting the legal, emotional, and communal implications of polygyny, Majeed encourages Muslim communities to develop formal measures that ensure the welfare of women and children who are otherwise not recognized by the state.

The practice of polygamy occupies a unique place in North American history and has had a profound effect on its legal and social development. The Polygamy Question explores the ways in which indigenous and immigrant polygamy have shaped the lives of individuals, communities, and the broader societies that have engaged with it. The book also considers how polygamy challenges our traditional notions of gender and marriage and how it might be effectively regulated to comport with contemporary notions of justice. The contributors to this volume—scholars of law, anthropology, sociology, political science, economics, and religious studies—disentangle diverse forms of polygamy and polyamory practiced among a range of religious and national backgrounds including Mormon and Muslim. They chart the harms and benefits these models have on practicing women, children, and men, whether they are independent families or members of coherent religious groups. Contributors also address the complexities of evaluating this form of marriage and the ethical and legal issues surrounding regulation of the practice, including the pros and cons of legalization. Plural marriage is the next frontier of North American marriage law and possibly the next civil rights battlefield. Students and scholars interested in polygamy, marriage, and family will find much of interest in The Polygamy Question. Contributors include Kerry Abrams, Martha Bailey, Lori Beaman, Janet Bennion, Jonathan Cowden, Shoshana Grossbard, Melanie Heath, Debra Majeed, Rose McDermott, Sarah Song, and Maura Irene Strassberg.

A provocative look at the costs and benefits of polygamy among western fundamentalist Mormon women