Ties That Bind:Marital Networks and Politics in Punjab, Pakistan

Abstract

Pakistani politics are characterised by strong corporate social links through kinship and caste that impose reciprocal obligations and rights. Marital maps enable allow for accurate prediction of allegiances and decision making and contribute to a transparent assessment of political processes in the country. While much of the focus on reciprocal relations has understandably been on descent relations (dynasties), the complex network of marital alliances that cut across lineage and sectarian divides helps explain notable levels of stability despite the fragility of the state and other public institutions. Using the example of one of the most successful political dynasties in post independence Pakistan, we show the extent of cross lineage, region and even party alliances that shape this political kinship network.

The Multi-Sided Ethnographer

“…Following what I consider my familial adoption, I effectively ceased to 'do research' on my original communities. Instead, I used the conceptual understanding I had gained from those farming communities to understand the wider electoral cultures of Pakistan (Lyon and Mughal 2016;Lyon 2019a;2019c;Lyon and Hassan 2022). I also shifted my attention to the political and environmental contexts in which my earlier ethnography existed (Lyon 2019d;2019b;Lyon and Mughal 2019).…”

Traditional Hierarchies of Zamindars and Kammis in Pakistani Punjab: Contemporary Contests Through Vartan Bhanji

“…We are of the view that an important way to consider the transitions underway in rural Punjab can be to examine how marriages are arranged. Marriage is one of the key aspects of reproducing biraderi identity when biraderi is being driven more by strategic considerations rather than traditional understandings (Lyon, 2013; Lyon & Mughal, 2016; Usman & Amjad, 2013). Alavi (1995: 16) proposed ‘ biraderi of recognition’ and ‘ biraderi of participation’, which is helpful to understand how such groups are realised and experienced in rural Punjab.…”

Chronicity and COVID-19: Kinship, Illness and the State in Pakistan

“…The exchanges of gifts have been considered as providing a safety net for households in poverty. Some have considered marriage as enabling intra biraderi political manoeuvring as well as expanding influence in institutions of the state (Lyon and Zeb 2016). Yet conflicts between and within extended kin networks also reveal the disruptive impacts of illness.…”