Summary:
From the perspective of informal power, this paper explores the marriage practice and power kinship of Pakistani women. The study found that Pakistani women exhibited a certain amount of agency and power practices in the family and society, moving beyond mere passive acceptance of social determinist roles. By actively participating in family affairs and community activities, they demonstrate their responsibility and competence, and change the perceptions and expectations of family members within the family. In addition, Pakistani women are also showcasing their abilities and talents through areas such as education and employment, and striving for more autonomy and opportunities through emotional expression and action strategies. This study provides implications for the reinterpretation of women in Pakistan and has important implications for women's studies and gender equality issues.
i.Introduction
a.Background: The impact of the feminist movement on women's studies in Pakistan
Since the 70s of the 20th century, the feminist movement has emerged around the world, which has provided an important platform and advocacy voice for women from different cultural and social backgrounds to fight for equal rights. As a country with a long history and rich cultural traditions, Pakistan's women have long been restricted and oppressed under the constraints of traditional ideas and conservative social structures. However, with the rise of the feminist movement, women in Pakistan have gradually entered the field of anthropological women's studies and become the focus of scholars.
Me at the National Museum of History of Pakistan.
The impact of the feminist movement on women's studies in Pakistan is multifaceted. First, the rise of the feminist movement has provided researchers with a new perspective and framework for research, which has strengthened the voice of women in Pakistan. Previously, the lives and experiences of women in Pakistan were often marginalized or ignored due to traditional attitudes and patriarchal social structures. The emergence of the feminist movement broke this situation and attracted the attention and research of women in Pakistan in the academic community.
Attending a local wedding in Pakistan (I am standing second from the left, wearing a Muslim robe).
Second, the influence of the feminist movement has led to a paradigm shift in research. In the past, research on women in Pakistan has tended to be limited to the analysis of family roles and social status, ignoring their feelings, actions and agency as individuals. However, the rise of the feminist movement has prompted researchers to gain a deeper understanding of women in Pakistan from a greater focus on women's bodily experiences, power struggles, and resistance.
b.Purpose and significance of the study
This study aims to take the ethnography of Pakistani women as the research content, and take the practice of female marriage as the research clue, **Pakistani women"Practice kinship"。By examining and analyzing the practices of Pakistani women as housewives, brides, and daughters-in-law, this study aims to reveal the individual agency of Pakistani women in a patriarchal society"Informal power"to think about how they interact with and respond to male power in their daily lives.
The significance of this study is to reinterpret the marriage practice of Pakistani women from a new perspective, to abandon the traditional social determinism and Western individualistic feminist views, and to realize that Pakistani women are not vassals or victims of power, but individuals who can practice and shape their own lives through emotional expression and action strategies. This recognition contributes to the promotion of gender equality and women's empowerment, and builds a more inclusive and just value system for Pakistani society.
c.Description
This study will adopt an ethnographic approach to collect detailed data on women's marriage practices in Pakistan through fieldwork, in-depth interviews, and participatory observations. During the research process, attention will be paid to protecting the privacy and rights of the person being studied, and ethical principles will be observed. Through the integration and analysis of various data and literature, as well as the in-depth analysis of individual cases, this study will attempt to comprehensively and deeply understand the practical attitudes and agency of women in Pakistan.
The choice of research methodology will enable us to gain an in-depth and comprehensive understanding of the marriage practices of Pakistani women and their individual agency in a patriarchal society. At the same time, with the help of ethnographic research methods, we will be able to examine the emotional expressions, interaction strategies, and social networks of women in Pakistan, and explore how they shape their lives and relationships through informal power.
Through the application of these methods, this study aims to comprehensively and deeply reveal the marriage practice and power kinship of women in Pakistan, and provide new perspectives and thinking paths for gender research and the promotion of women's rights.
ii.Marriage Practices and Identity Transition of Pakistani Women
a.The liminal process of the wedding ceremony
In Pakistani culture, the wedding ceremony is a solemn and elaborate ceremony, and it is also a key process in the transformation of Pakistani women's identity. The wedding ceremony is not only a grand event to celebrate and unite two families, but also a symbol of the transformation of the role of women.
Wedding ceremonies usually include multiple parts, such as engagement, wedding ceremony, and wedding party. These sessions move women from one family to another and establish new social relationships through specific rituals and rituals. Women often play an important role in wedding ceremonies, and they are given new social identities and responsibilities.
During the engagement session, women are formally introduced to their fiancé's family and perform traditional ceremonies such as religious ceremonies and ring exchanges. This marks the imminent integration of women into another family and establishes a new identity for them.
The wedding ceremony is the core part of the wedding and usually includes the wedding vows, the signing of legal documents, and religious ceremonies. These ceremonies further strengthen a woman's bond with her new family and see them as important members of the family and society.
A wedding party is the end of a wedding ceremony, and it is an occasion to celebrate and bless the new couple. At this party, women's new identities are recognized and accepted, and they are praised and welcomed as part of their new family.
The phased process of the whole wedding ceremony provides a clear sign and identity for the Pakistani woman's identity transformation. Through these elaborate rituals and rituals, women are transformed from independent individuals into wives, daughters-in-law, and members of new families who assume specific responsibilities and obligations within their family and social roles.
b.Identity Transition and Social Relationship Building
The practice of marriage for women in Pakistan involves not only the transformation of identities but also the establishment of new social relationships. After marriage, women develop a close partnership not only with their husbands, but also with their husbands' family members.
As wives, Pakistani women take on the responsibility of taking care of their husbands and their marital family. They maintain their marital relationships by expressing affection and support, and carry out various activities centered on the family in their daily lives. At the same time, women also gain more recognition and status in their social roles after marriage, and they can participate in community affairs and play an active role.
At the same time, Pakistani women also need to adapt to kinship networks in their new families. As daughters-in-law, they need to follow traditional customs and etiquette, respect their husbands' elders, and actively build good relationships with their mothers-in-law, sisters, and other relatives. These kinship relationships have an important impact on a woman's ability to integrate into her new family after marriage, as well as their status and power in the family.
Therefore, the practice of marriage for women in Pakistan is not only a process of identity transformation, but also a process of establishing new social relationships. Women gradually establish their place and place in their new families through role expression and social interaction in wedding ceremonies and everyday life. The establishment of such social relationships is not only important for individual women, but also reflects the family values and social structure of Pakistani society.
My bodyguard retinue in Pakistan.
iii.Pakistani women's triple network of family, clan and society
a.Individual-centered and oriented family relationships
In Pakistani society, the family is the core of women's lives in Pakistan, and the relationship between the individual and the family is closely linked. Pakistani women are often expected to see the family as an important part of their lives, and they are given the responsibility of maintaining and caring for the family.
The relationship between the individual and the family is based on interdependence and mutual assistance. Pakistani women play multiple roles in the family, such as wife, mother, daughter, and sister. Their status and influence in the family depend on their contribution to the family and the fulfillment of their roles.
In family relations in Pakistan, the needs and interests of the individual usually take precedence over the needs and interests of the family. Women are expected to provide care and support to family members, sacrificing their own personal desires and ambitions. This individual-centred and oriented model of family relations reflects family values and cultural traditions in Pakistani society.
b.The influence of family relationships and social status
In Pakistani society, family ties play an important role in women's social status and power. The family is the basic unit of Pakistani society, which is made up of multiple family members and is connected to each other through blood and kinship.
Women are often in a secondary position in the family, and they are subject to the authority and decision-making of family members such as fathers, husbands, and mothers-in-law. Their actions and decisions are expected and limited by their families. Despite this, women still play an important social role in the family, and they are entrusted with the responsibility of caring for children, maintaining family honor and carrying on family traditions.
The social status and power of women are determined by the rank and status in the family. In Pakistani society, men generally enjoy higher social status and power, while women are given secondary roles. This pattern of family relations reflects the notions of gender inequality and traditional values in Pakistani society.
Pakistani wedding scene.
c.The importance of engagement strategies
In the triple network of family, clan and society of women in Pakistan, interaction strategies are very important for women's lives and status. Women need to use appropriate interaction strategies to cope with different family members and social roles.
In the family, women need to demonstrate an attitude of respect and obedience and build a harmonious relationship with their husbands, parents, and mothers-in-law. They can maintain family stability by listening to and understanding the needs of family members, and providing emotional support and assistance.
In the family, women need to respect the authority and traditions of the family and follow the family's norms and expectations. They can gain the recognition and support of family members by participating in family affairs, showing loyalty, and showing respect for the family.
In society, women can advance their social status by actively participating in community affairs and showcasing their abilities and talents. Through education, employment and social activities, women can expand their networks and fight for more opportunities and rights for themselves.
Therefore, the importance of interaction strategies cannot be ignored in the triple network of family, clan and society of Pakistani women. With appropriate interaction strategies, women can better respond to family and societal expectations and strive for more autonomy and opportunities within their limited power.
iv.Pakistani women's agency from the perspective of informal power
a.The practice of power that transcends social determinism
From the perspective of informal power, women's agency in Pakistan goes beyond mere passive acceptance of the role of social determinism. While social and cultural factors have a profound impact on the lives of women in Pakistan, the exercise of power they exhibit in their daily lives shows their positive influence on their own destiny and social status.
Pakistani women demonstrate their sense of responsibility and competence by actively participating in family matters and community activities. They play an important role in the family and are the financial and emotional breadwinners of the family. Through their efforts and contributions, they have shaped their place within the family and gradually changed the perception and expectations of their family members.
In addition, Pakistani women have also demonstrated their abilities and talents through their participation in areas such as education and employment. More and more women are pursuing higher education, acquiring professional skills and succeeding in all walks of life. Through their own efforts and practices, they have broken the shackles of traditional gender roles and proved their value and ability in the workplace.
b.The critique and transcendence of individualistic feminism
Although individualistic feminism has its legitimacy and necessity in Western countries, its simple application to Pakistani society may have certain limitations. Pakistani society has a unique historical, cultural and religious background that includes different social values and ideologies.
In Pakistani society, the emphasis on the interests of the family and the community does not mean the outright exclusion of individual rights, but rather the subordination of individual rights over the interests of the family and community as a whole. Therefore, a mere emphasis on individualistic feminism may not fully address the problems faced by women in Pakistan.
c.Presentation of emotional expression and action strategies
Emotional expression and action strategies are essential for Pakistani women to demonstrate their agency in the context of informal power. Through emotional expression, Pakistani women are able to form a closer bond with their family members, gain support and recognition. They can strive for more autonomy and opportunities through care, attention and affection for their relatives and members of society.
In addition, action strategies are an important means of demonstrating women's agency in Pakistan. They can demonstrate their ability to do things by getting involved in their communities, driving for social change, and advocating for their rights. By actively participating in social activities, women in Pakistan can make their voices heard, earn respect and recognition, and fight for more opportunities and rights for themselves and other women.
In conclusion, Pakistani women's agency from the perspective of informal power is manifested in the practice of power beyond social determinism, the critique and transcendence of individualistic feminism, and the display of emotional expression and action strategies. By actively participating in family, community and social activities, Pakistani women continue to demonstrate their abilities and values, and strive for more autonomy and opportunities. This demonstration of agency is an indispensable force in the process of social change and gender equality in Pakistan.
v.Conclusion
a.A reinterpretation of women in Pakistan
By analyzing the marriage practices and power kinship of Pakistani women from the perspective of informal power, we have a new interpretation of Pakistani women. Traditionally, Pakistani women have tended to be seen as a passive, restricted group, but our research reveals their agency and power practices in their daily lives.
We recognise that women in Pakistan demonstrate a sense of responsibility, competence and positive influence through their involvement in the areas of family, education and employment, despite being constrained by a variety of social, cultural and family factors. They play an important role in the family, are the financial and emotional breadwinners of the family, and through their own efforts, they change the perception and expectations of their family members.
b.Implications for Women's Studies and Gender Equality
Research from the perspective of informal power has given us some insights into women's studies and gender equality. First, we need to go beyond traditional social determinism and individualistic feminism to understand women's agency and power practices from a more integrated and pluralistic perspective. The experience of women in Pakistan tells us that the challenges and strategies faced by women can be different in different cultural and social contexts.
Second, we need to pay attention to the impact of emotional expression and action strategies on women's agency. Pakistani women form strong bonds with family members through emotional expression and demonstrate their practical skills by actively participating in community affairs and advocating for their own rights. This reminds us to focus on women's emotional, engaged and operational needs and rights in the process of promoting gender equality.
c.Limitations and future prospects of the study
There are also limitations to our research. First, due to the selection of study participants and the limitations of sample size, our results may not be universal and not representative of the experiences and circumstances of all Pakistani women. Further research could broaden the sample size to include more diverse groups.
In addition, our research focuses on women's agency in Pakistan from the perspective of informal power, and has not yet fully considered the impact of other factors on them. Future research could further explore the effects of formal power structures, economic factors, and the legal environment on women's agency in Pakistan.
In summary, by reinterpreting the marriage practices and power kinship of Pakistani women, we recognize the agency and power practices they exhibit from the perspective of informal power. This gives us insights into women's studies and gender equality, reminding us to look beyond a single perspective and focus on emotional expression and action strategies. However, there are limitations to the study, and the scope of the study needs to be further expanded and the impact of other factors needs to be considered. Future research can further delve into women's agency and power practices in Pakistan and contribute more to the promotion of gender equality.
**Author: Lu Xilin
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