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For a century, polygamy was rare in the former Soviet republic of Tajikistan. The practice was outlawed in the USSR and the few who lived in such relationships kept quiet about it. Although still officially prohibited, demographic circumstances have allowed polygamy to make a comeback in this overwhelmingly Muslim country.
After the Soviet Union broke up, 100,000 Tajiks, mostly men, were killed in a civil war. More recently, as many as a million Tajik men have left for Russia in search of work. The result has been a disproportionately female population.
Seizing on this disparity, men have begun to practice polygamy openly, citing Islamic law and the desire among women for partners to justify the illegal practice. Tajiks say polygamous marriages can now be found in nearly every apartment block in Dushanbe, and few Tajik families seem to be without a recent example.
"These girls require a husband or their families are shamed," said Ali Fidhoum, 37, an engineer here. "Our religion allows it as long as I have a job and I treat both my wives equally. My second wife’s family is thankful for me, and they should be."
Here's the bigger picture: The return of polygamy to Tajikistan reflects a resurgence of traditional Islamic culture and practices in majority-Muslim nations.
Miriam Cooke, a professor of Arab culture at Duke University, said polygamy was an emerging trend across the Islamic world, including Indonesia, "where there is a huge controversy about the perceived growing trend in polygamous marriages."
Many women are not happy about their husbands taking second and third wives, but few can do anything about it. Women living in the countryside who have little education and no independent source of income are trapped.
h/t: Family Scholars Blog
Peter Worthington