Can someone help brainstorm ideas for a Social Anthropology paper?

Question

I am doing a paper on the ways that marriage benefits men compared to women. I have a few ideas such as "inexpensive source of labour for men", "divorce rate is high & when it occurs, women are worse off".

Any suggestions or ideas would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks!

Answer 1

A few ideas...

In societies where bigamy occurs it is used to show wealth and status.  The age of the wife/wives can do the same as does bride price.  

Marriage (supposedly) allows an assurance of fatherhood for the woman's children.  Recognizing this is not so is the reason some societies have children taken care of by the maternal uncle.  'I know my sisters kids share my genetics but cannot be sure about my wife.'

It is also a socially driven institution.  In modern western societies, if not all others, marriage is something we expect ourselves and others to do, it is the norm.

Answer 2

Benefits men by having someone to tell them when they do stupid things.

Answer 3

There is actual research showing that married men live longer than single men.

And that single women live longer than married women.

Which is a pretty strong statement about marriage being a strong benefit to men, but not to women.

Answer 4

Marriage in America would be a statistical nightmare. however marriage in say...the gang infested south central LA area. might be an interesting topic.

a few personal acquaintances have relinquished the vanity of gang life after marriage. due in part to the pressing influence of their new "wifas".

Some quit drugs cold turkey as soon as the perspective wife delivers the news of that a baby is in the oven.

others risk being ostracized by their almost the entire neighborhood.

an in doing so they gain the life of happiness that eluded them for most of their lives.

this will probably require some field work, but it should be a great paper.  this is what i consider positive benefits that come to men when they enter into marriage with a good woman.

theres an idea! you may have fun.