Exogamy In American Culture

Exogamy is the social rule that requires an individual to marry outside a specific culturally defined social group of which they are a member.The universal nuclear family is always exogamous.It is even said sometimes that exogamy results from the effects of the incest prohibitions.The social group beyond which marriage is required to take place may either be a lineage or a clan. Examples of exogamy groups include, but are not limited to, people from the immediate family, people whom are considered kin, and those of the same sex. Exogamy is often practiced in tribal communities, where a male from one tribe will marry a woman from a tribe outside of his own. Exceptions to exogamy, such as interracial or same-sex marriages can make a person a pariah in their own community. American culture naturally harbors exogamy in the social and marital realms, since it is such a diverse nation.

The purpose of endogamy may to regulate marriage in a way to preserve the identity of a group. One social practice that can identify with endogamy is Jewish marriages. Even though not all Jewish people practice endogamy, 47% of Jews in the United States are in intermarriages. The belief that intermarriages should not be allowed in Judaism comes from the idea that women are sanctified to their husbands, and this sanction cannot happen if it is not between two Jews. Endogamy is practiced for many reasons, and it is a large part of Jewish