Ties That Blind: A Longitudinal Study on Consanguinity and Congenital Disorders in Kabirwala, Pakistan

Authors

Hifza Irfan, School of Sociology, Quaid-i-Azam University IslamabadFollow
Abida Sharif, Department of Sociology, Fatima Jinnah Women University, Rawalpindi,Follow
Imran Sabir, School of Sociology, Quaid-i-Azam University Islamabad, PakistanFollow
Saeed Ahmad Watto, Department of Sociology, Lahore Leads University, Lahore.Follow
Muhammad Zaman, School of Sociology, Quaid-i-Azam University IslamabadFollow

Abstract

Consanguineous marriage, defined as marriage between close relatives, is a prevalent practice in many traditional societies. It is commonly perceived to secure property rights, maintain social cohesion, and fortify kinship structures. However, consanguineous marriages are also associated with an increased risk of inbreeding and consequent chromosomal disorders. Pakistan has one of the highest rates of consanguineous marriage worldwide, with an estimated 60% of all marriages occurring between close relatives. This study focuses on the persistence of consanguinity in Kabirwala, Pakistan, a town in the Punjab province. It investigates the trend of consanguinity and relative affinity according to generations in Kabirwala. It also observes the effects of modernization on consanguinity and explores the reasons behind the practice from the respondents' perspectives. The study used a longitudinal qualitative design, conducting in-depth interviews with the same participants (N=24 couples) over 15 years. Findings indicate that consanguinity is still prevalent in Kabirwala, with 77% of marriages between cousins. The study also found that the practice is rooted in traditional knowledge frameworks that link consanguinity to congenital disorders. However, modernization has led to a decline in consanguineous marriage among younger generations.

Keywords

consanguineous marriages, inbreeding, congenital disorders, Pakistan, longitudinal study

Author Bio(s)

Hifza Irfan (HI), PhD, is a scholar in the School of Sociology at Quaid-i-Azam University Islamabad, Pakistan. Mailing address: School of Sociology, Quaid-i-Azam University Islamabad, Pakistan; E-mail: a.hifzairfan941@gmail.com

Abida Sharif (AS) is an assistant professor of sociology at Fatima Jinnah Women University Rawalpindi. Mailing address: Department of Sociology, Fatima Jinnah Women University Rawalpindi, Pakistan; E-mail: abida.sharif@fjwu.edu.pk

Imran Sabir i(IS) s an associate professor of sociology at Quaid-i-Azam University Islamabad, Pakistan. Mailing address: School of Sociology, Quaid-i-Azam University Islamabad, Pakistan; E-mail: isabir@qau.edu.pk

Saeed Ahmad Watto (SAW) is a professor in the Department of Sociology at Lahore Leads University, Lahore. Mailing address: Department of Sociology, Lahore Leads University, Lahore, Pakistan; Email: saeedwatto64@gmail.com

Muhammad Zaman (MZ) is a professor in the School of Sociology at Quaid-i-Azam University Islamabad, Pakistan. Mailing address: School of Sociology, Quaid-i-Azam University Islamabad, Pakistan; E-mail: zaman@qau.edu.pk

Corresponding Author: Muhammad Zaman, professor, School of Sociology, Quaid-i-Azam University Islamabad, Pakistan

Acknowledgements

We acknowledge the NRPU 10069 support of the HEC Pakistan

Publication Date

11-3-2023

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 4.0 International License.

DOI

10.46743/2160-3715/2023.6120

Recommended APA Citation

Irfan, H., Sharif, A., Sabir, I., Watto, S., & Zaman, M. (2023). Ties That Blind: A Longitudinal Study on Consanguinity and Congenital Disorders in Kabirwala, Pakistan. The Qualitative Report, 28(11), 3169-3184. https://doi.org/10.46743/2160-3715/2023.6120

ResearcherID

0000-0003-1268-1141