Gender Women's studies - Essay Example

An issues touching on courtship usually reminds us of the relationship leading to marriage without paying attention to issues, which might terminate it before the goal is realized. Notably, courtship is a complex cultural ritual that has been shaped by modernization (Janrt 187). In fact, many things have changed and the people’s way of life has had dramatic shifts. Traditionally, both men and women did not have a choice of their partner as this was an issue left for the parents, thus part of the societal ritual (Clark, Poulin and Kohler 397).

The process of courtship was done by the parents without involving the man and woman to get married. In Ethiopia, Men who had reached maturity would ask their parents to arrange for their marriage, because it was the role of the parents to pay the dowry (Fafchamps and Quisumbing 348). The parents then arranged for the marriage, depending on their choice for his/her son or, daughter. Indeed, it was a complex ritual where dowry was paid after the bride had been identified, prior to the actual marriage (Fafchamps and Quisumbing 348).

Additionally, the parents were to make all the necessary inquiries to make sure that their child would marry, or get married to families with impeccable background (Fafchamps and Quisumbing 355)). Precisely, this was the only sure way of sustainability of the marriage and a better life. In some communities, even girls ware to be imposed on older men due to parental arrangements, which they could not resist. However, with increase in education, urbanization and HIV/AIDS epidemics, this has changed and relationships are nowadays by choice (Clark, Poulin and Kohler 398).

As part of the engagement process for marriage, courtship has recently shifted attention from organized marriage to a situation where the adult person selects a spouse for him/herself (Clark, Poulin and Kohler 398). In Malawi, for example, the increase in cases of HIV/AIDS has changed the situation since the