The State of Marriage in Yemen

This chapter deploys an analytical method for approaching the issue of marriage in Yemen against the backdrop of a tumultuous social situation. For over five years now, Yemeni society has been going through a political and social crisis, where economic, social, and political challenges are on the rise. The latter cast their shadows over the family in Yemen and its roles and functions—and women are particularly affected. Marriage, as both concept and phenomenon, cannot be studied in the absence of a thorough understanding of its general social context. The significance of marriage and the dynamics of its formation cannot be separated from the context that functions as the structural force shaping individuals and their culture, and determining their interactions and interrelations. The point is particularly true of marriage and family filiation, since they form new kinds of bonds and construe people as relatives.