Marital Breakdown among British Asians: Conjugality, Legal Pluralism and New Kinship (Palgrave Macmillan Studies in Family and Intimate Life)

Against long-standing characterizations of British Asians as ‘flying the flag’ for traditional life, this book identifies an increase in marital breakdown and argues to reorient debates about conservatism and authoritarianism in British Asian families. Qureshi draws on a rich ethnographic study of marital breakdown among working class Pakistani Muslims in order to unpick the grounds of marital conflict, the manoeuvres couples undertake in staying together, their interactions with divorce laws and their moral reasonings about post-divorce family life. __Marital Breakdown among British Asians__ argues against individualization approaches, demonstrating the embeddedness of couples in extended family relations, whilst at the same time showing that Pakistani marriages and divorces do not deviate in all respects from wider marital separation trajectories in Britain. Providing new insights into how marital breakdown is changing the contours of British Asian families, this book will be essential reading for scholars and students, clinicians working in couple or family therapy, social workers and legal practitioners. "Dedication"--"Preface"--"Acknowledgements" -- "Contents" -- "List of Figures" -- "1: Introduction" -- " A Rise in Marital Breakdown" -- " Catching Up?" -- " Conjugality" -- " Legal Pluralism" -- " New Kinship" -- " Research Setting" -- " Methods and Analysis" -- " Outline of the Book" -- "References" -- "Part I: Grounds for Conflict" -- "2: Storying Marital Conflict" -- " Naila" -- " Afzal" -- " Kulsoom" -- " Conclusion" -- "References" -- "3: Explanations for Divorce" -- " Divorces Past and Present" -- " Lack of Commitment" -- " Not Putting Up with Any More" -- " Sexual Unfairness and Infidelity" -- " Wanting Love and Not Getting It" -- " Conclusion" -- "References" -- "Part II: Staying Together" -- "4: Family Mediation" -- " Kinship Support in Arranged Marriages" -- " Pragmatism" -- " Love Marriages" -- " Conclusion" -- "References" -- "5: Estrangements, Separations and Yoyo Marriages" -- " Estrangements" -- " Separations" -- " Yoyo Marriages" -- " Spiralling Marriages" -- " Conclusion" -- "References" -- "Part III: Splitting Up" -- "6: Sharia" -- " Talaaq" -- " Women Satisfied with a Civil Divorce" -- " A Khula Outside the Sharia Council" -- " A Khula Through a Sharia Council" -- " Forum-Shopping" -- " Conclusion" -- "References" -- "7: English Law" -- " Disempowerment" -- " Legal Translations" -- " Self-Representation, Family Mediation and an Insider Barrister" -- " Conclusion" -- "References" -- "Part IV: Rebuilding Families" -- "8: Staying Single" -- "Standing on My Own Feet" -- "What Can a Man Give Me?" -- "Natal Families and Friendship" -- "Life Without a Wife" -- "Conclusion" -- "References" -- "9: Remarriage" -- " A Chance to Have Things Your Way" -- " Choice and Family Approval" -- " The Gamble" -- " Conclusion" -- "References" -- "10: Children and Stepfamilies" -- " Ex-spouses Negotiating Parenting" Shortlisted for the BSA Philip Abrams Memorial Prize 2017 Against long-standing characterizations of British Asians as 'flying the flag' for traditional life, this book identifies an increase in marital breakdown and argues to reorient debates about conservatism and authoritarianism in British Asian families. Qureshi draws on a rich ethnographic study of marital breakdown among working class Pakistani Muslims in order to unpick the grounds of marital conflict, the manoeuvres couples undertake in staying together, their interactions with divorce laws and their moral reasonings about post-divorce family life. Marital Breakdown among British Asians argues against individualization approaches, demonstrating the embeddedness of couples in extended family relations, whilst at the same time showing that Pakistani marriages and divorces do not deviate in all respects from wider marital separation trajectories in Britain. Providing new insights into how marital breakdown is changing the contours of British Asian families, this book will be essential reading for scholars and students, clinicians working in couple or family therapy, social workers and legal practitioners. "Against long-standing characterizations of British Asians as flying the flag for traditional life, this book identifies an increase in marital breakdown and argues to reorient debates about conservatism and authoritarianism in British Asian families. Qureshi draws on a rich ethnographic study of marital breakdown among working class Pakistani Muslims in order to unpick the grounds of marital conflict, the manoeuvres couples undertake in staying together, their interactions with divorce laws and their moral reasonings about post-divorce family life. Marital Breakdown among British Asians argues against individualization approaches, demonstrating the embeddedness of couples in extended family relations, whilst at the same time showing that Pakistani marriages and divorces do not deviate in all respects from wider marital separation trajectories in Britain. Providing new insights into how marital breakdown is changing the contours of British Asian families, this book will be essential reading for scholars and students, clinicians working in couple or family therapy, social workers and legal practitioners."-- Provided by publisher Front Matter....Pages i-xvii Introduction....Pages 1-39 Front Matter....Pages 41-41 Storying Marital Conflict....Pages 43-68 Explanations for Divorce....Pages 69-98 Front Matter....Pages 99-99 Family Mediation....Pages 101-125 Estrangements, Separations and Yoyo Marriages....Pages 127-151 Front Matter....Pages 153-153 Sharia....Pages 155-183 English Law....Pages 185-212 Front Matter....Pages 213-213 Staying Single....Pages 215-242 Remarriage....Pages 243-269 Children and Stepfamilies....Pages 271-298 Conclusion....Pages 299-311 Back Matter....Pages 313-324