Sister exchange is a type of marriage agreement where two sets of siblings marry each other. In order to get married, a man needs to persuade his sister to marry the bride's brother. It is practised as a primary method of organising marriages in 3% of the world's societies: in Australia, Melanesia, Amazonia and Sub-Saharan Africa; and can replace other methods in 1.4% of the societies.[1]
Researchers disagree about the reasoning behind sister exchange but most believe that it is some type of reciprocity. Several anthropologists and sociologists expressed objections to the term "sister exchange" believing that it is not accurately describing the actual arrangement.[2][3][4]
Despite earlier claims of its simplicity, sister exchange is a complex arrangement that involves many family members and not simply the four people who are getting married.[5][6]
- ^ Busse 1987, p. 4.
- ^ Gell 1992, pp. 156–157.
- ^ Gell 1992, p. 158.
- ^ Busse 1987, p. 3.
- ^ Busse 1987, p. 12.
- ^ McDowell 1978, p. 207.