The Other Side of Polyandry: Property, Stratification and Nonmarriage in the Nepal Himalayas

Contents: Introduction. 1. The people of Chumik. 2. Background: subsistence patterns, residence and property. 3. Non-marriage and economic strategies. 4. Entitlement to property: inheritance and the system of household estates. 5. Women’s access to property. 6. Entitlement to status. 7. Marriage. Conclusion. Appendices.

Written years before the concepts of gender inequality and social exclusion gained widespread currency in the field of international development, this important book provides a fine grained analysis of these social processes. The parallels between Tibetan marriage systems and marriage in pre-industrial Europe (large numbers of unmarried adult women were a common feature of both) are particularly intriguing in the context of South Asia, where marriage often takes place at early ages and is virtually universal. This study is a critical document for scholars interested in Tibetan cultures and the anthropology of Nepal. The book’s engaging style also makes it accessible for visitors to Nepal and Mustang seeking to enrich their experiences of local cultures. (jacket)