Media framing of marriage practices in Afghanistan

Culturally, in Afghanistan, marriage is given much importance and seen as something that completes life. Through this study, I analyze how marriage practices, such as dowry (Mahr), bride price, and the “virginity ritual,” are described in newspapers and magazines of Afghanistan. In particular, I explore how the popular press, such as 8 Sobh and Khama Press in Afghanistan frame their discussion of marriage practices. The findings from this analysis reveal that newspapers and magazines of Afghanistan frame marriage as an economic issue and a major focus of the articles is on the financial pressure on poor families due to the high cost of weddings. Whether or not bride price, dowry, and virginity ritual is a question of human rights, educational rights, women’s rights, or any other kind of right is hardly mentioned in these articles. The study also unearthed a lack of women’s voice in the way the popular press in Afghanistan frames their discussion of marriage practices. This lack of women’s voice limits the ability of audiences to form a more complete understanding about the serious impacts marriage rituals have on women