Too educated for love? Women and the marriage market in Indonesia
Files
Accepted manuscript
Date
2018
DOI
Authors
Smith-Hefner, Nancy
Version
Accepted manuscript
OA Version
Citation
N. Smith-Hefner. 2018. "Too Educated for Love? Women and the Marriage Market in Indonesia." https://www.bu.edu/cura/henry-luce-foundation-funding/cura-luce-seminar-series-on-key-issues-in-religion-and-world-affairs/. Love Stories: Youth Aspirations and the New Ethics of Intimacy. Boston University, CURA, 2018-10-19 - 2018-10-19.
Abstract
Indonesia is among the shrinking number of Asian
countries demographers identify as following a pattern
of “universal marriage,” defined as a country in which
fewer than 4% of women over the age of 40 have
never married (G. Jones 2004). The marital
imperative weighs particularly heavily on young
women. Those who reach the age of 25 without
finding a partner are considered to be “unmarketable”
and placed in the category of “old maid.” Women who
put off marriage to pursue an education are in an
especially precarious position; since most Indonesian
men look to marry “down” with regard to age and
education, educated women face the challenge of
finding someone who is an appropriate match in a
narrowing field of candidates. They also face the
perception held by at least some men, that educated
women will assume a dominant position within the
family. This paper presents the life stories of four
educated Javanese women and examines the hurdles
they face in finding and securing a marital partner.
Although young Indonesians have embraced the idea
of romantic love as the proper foundation for a
modern, companionate marriage, and it is widely
accepted that youth should make their own choice of
“soul mate” (jodoh), educated women are finding it
increasingly difficult to meet their match.