The Gift of a Bride: A Tale of Anthropology, Matrimony and Murder

by Serena Nanda, Joan Gregg

Overview

This ethnographically based murder mystery is set within New York City's Indian community. A young Indian woman's arranged marriage brings her to the city to join her husband shortly after her wedding. The plot unfolds as the couple copes with joint family living, sexual and financial issues, and hostile neighbors. Central to the mystery are the cultural conflicts affecting both men and women negotiating the differences between American society and their own traditional upbringings. A major theme of the book is violence against women as this plays out both within domestic situations and through the gender inequalities of Indian and American society. Supportive characters such as an anthropology professor, an Indian detective and his American sidekick, a young, assimilated Indian neighbor, and an established family elder reveal various aspects of immigrant life. Through this rich, exciting and ethnographically detailed foray into one particular community, the reader learns about arranging a marriage, Hindu weddings and festivals, and the rich psychological motivations of culturally-patterned behavior of both immigrant men and women. The main principles of cultural anthropology and ethnographic method are woven into the novel, making it a compelling read in a wide range of undergraduate and graduate courses.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780759111509
Publisher:	Bloomsbury Academic
Publication date:	05/16/2009
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	302
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 8.90(h) x 0.80(d)

About the Author

Serena Nanda is professor emeritus of anthropology at John Jay College of Criminal Justice, CUNY. Joan Gregg is professor emeritus of English at New York City Technical College, CUNY.

Table of Contents

Chapter 1 Marrying Off Amrita: Arranging a Marriage
Chapter 2 Anthro 223. Sex and Culture: Culture Counts
Chapter 3 Sita's Trials: The Concept of Gender
Part 4 An Act of Violence 1: A Life in Ruins
Chapter 5 Student Voices
Part 6 An Act of Violence 2: A Halloween Assault
Chapter 7 We Also Do More Takeout: Cultural Adaptation
Chapter 8 Invitation to a Wedding: Key Consultants
Chapter 9 Appearances are Deceiving: An Anthropologist in the Field
Chapter 10 Eating an Orange: Culture Is In the Details
Chapter 11 Status Signals: Social Status and Cultural Values
Chapter 12 The Gift of a Bride: A Wedding Ritual
Chapter 13 Home Again, Home Again: More Notes for the Book
Chapter 14 Daughter in a Distant Land: Immigrating to America
Chapter 15 Hey, This is America: Married Life
Chapter 16 Those Close Indian Families: The Extended Family
Chapter 17 The Washerman's Donkey: Between Two Cultures
Chapter 18 Kumar's Deception: Mishandling Relationships
Chapter 19 The Lycra Revolution: Clothing Sends a Message
Chapter 20 A Mother-in-Law's Comforts: An Indian Matriarch
Chapter 21 An Open and Shut Case: Crime and Culture
Chapter 22 I Have Some Information: Engaged Anthropology
Chapter 23 A Dinner Party is also Research: The Ethics of Participant Observation
Chapter 24 Don't Play Nancy Drew: Applying Anthropology
Chapter 25 The Wrong Girl for our Family: Marriage as an Exchange
Chapter 26 This Nightmare Must Be Ended: The Oppression of the Bride
Chapter 27 The Demon King: The Anthropologist's Dilemma
Part 28 An Act of Violence 3: You Tiny Dolls
Chapter 29 A Better Mousetrap Called Murder: The Cultural Contours of Marriage and Divorce
Chapter 30 Death of a Beautiful Lady: Anthropology is Personal
Chapter 31 The Usual Suspect: Male Dominance and Domestic Violence
Chapter 32 The Investigation: Applying Anthropology
Chapter 33 Nothing Further to Say: Kinship Relations
Part 34 Culture and Criminal Caught: Culture and American Criminal Justice
Part 35 Epilogue
Part 36 Author's Note
Part 37 Glossary
38 Sources

Editorial Reviews

This fictional ethnography of Indian marital beliefs and customs paints a strong contrast between American notions of individual choice and freedom of decisions versus the strong web of social and familial obligations to which Indians must attend. The reader is exposed to an intense level of Indian extended family involvement in and concern about marital decisions and woes, which stands in strong contrast to American notions of the marital relationship being a private affair between partners.

Association for Feminist Anthropology

Let me start by saying that I loved the manuscript and would most certainly use it in a class of cultural anthropology. I would also use it in my gender class as well. The authors have written a remarkable work. It works on so many levels that it is hard to adequately express my enthusiasm. The book has many strengths. It presents the field of anthropology in a careful, useful, and interesting manner. Using fictitious classroom presentations, lectures and discussion, as a way of introducing materials and subject matter of the book, is excellent. Having a murder plot unfold in multiple ways, with a constant eye on multiple cultural dimensions is also excellent. Keeping the plot line alive, exciting and to the point, continues this excellence. The authors have mastered the art of story telling, plot advancement, readability and line continuity. I literally could not put it down. It can truthfully be described as a page turner. It is refreshingly unique, creative, interesting and captivating. In anthropology, in this day and age, that is remarkable.

Barbara Joans

This fictional ethnography of Indian marital beliefs and customs paints a strong contrast between American notions of individual choice and freedom of decisions versus the strong web of social and familial obligations to which Indians must attend. The reader is exposed to an intense level of Indian extended family involvement in and concern about marital decisions and woes, which stands in strong contrast to American notions of the marital relationship being a private affair between partners.

Association For Feminist Anthropology

Let me start by saying that I loved the manuscript and would most certainly use it in a class of cultural anthropology. I would also use it in my gender class as well. The authors have written a remarkable work. It works on so many levels that it is hard to adequately express my enthusiasm. The book has many strengths. It presents the field of anthropology in a careful, useful, and interesting manner. Using fictitious classroom presentations, lectures and discussion, as a way of introducing materials and subject matter of the book, is excellent. Having a murder plot unfold in multiple ways, with a constant eye on multiple cultural dimensions is also excellent. Keeping the plot line alive, exciting and to the point, continues this excellence. The authors have mastered the art of story telling, plot advancement, readability and line continuity. I literally could not put it down. It can truthfully be described as a page turner. It is refreshingly unique, creative, interesting and captivating. In anthropology, in this day and age, that is remarkable.--Barbara Joans, Merritt College

This fictional ethnography of Indian marital beliefs and customs paints a strong contrast between American notions of individual choice and freedom of decisions versus the strong web of social and familial obligations to which Indians must attend. The reader is exposed to an intense level of Indian extended family involvement in and concern about marital decisions and woes, which stands in strong contrast to American notions of the marital relationship being a private affair between partners.--Association for Feminist Anthropology

From the Publisher