What system allows a man to marry multiple wives, particularly within Muslim cultures?

Study for the Dantes General Anthropology Exam. Use flashcards and multiple choice questions, each question comes with hints and explanations. Prepare effectively for your assessment!

Polygamy is the correct term for a marital system that allows an individual to have multiple spouses simultaneously. Within Muslim cultures, this often refers specifically to a man marrying multiple wives, which is permissible under Islamic law, as articulated in the Quran. This practice is most common in certain communities where social, economic, and cultural factors support the structure of having more than one wife.

The concept of polygamy includes two main forms: polygyny, where one man marries multiple women, and polyandry, where one woman marries multiple men. In the context of the question, polygyny aligns with the specific practice of a man marrying multiple wives.

Monogamy refers to a marriage system in which an individual has only one spouse at a time. This is not applicable to the situation described. The levirate system involves a man marrying his deceased brother's widow, a practice found in some cultures to ensure family lineage and support for the widow, rather than indicating multiple marriages. Endogamy refers to marrying within a specific social group, caste, or ethnicity and does not pertain to the number of spouses one can have. Thus, polygamy is the accurate term for the system described in the question.

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