Lewis Honors College Capstone Collection

Year of Publication

2017

College

Arts and Sciences

Department/School/Program

Biology

Degree Name

B.S. in Biology, Psychology, Neuroscience

First Capstone/Thesis Advisor

Sonya Jones

Abstract

In order to ensure compatibility and future sustenance of a marriage, most people devote significant time in a preparatory phase known as dating. More time spent dating would sensibly correlate to higher marriage longevities as the partners become more acquainted with the intricacies of each other. Ironically, the countries who practice this Western ideology of marriage harbor staggering divorce-to-marriage ratios (some upwards of 60%) while those with a different concept of marriage e.g. India experience much higher marriage longevities. To illuminate this seeming paradox, multiple sources were consulted including current literature, newspaper columns, economic reports, films, television series, and personal interviews. Results from this endeavor indicated that the institution’s foundational significance, rituality, and historical context are the keys to its prosperity. Arranged marriage has shown remarkable resilience over millennia in part due to its evolution but mostly due to its religious roots.

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