Intermediating Individual and the Community: Indian Family in Online Matchmaking

Abstract

The basic unit of the family is the married couple who are brought together through various means, the internet being an additional medium. This study is an attempt to capture changes in the realm of family through a detailed analysis of the matrimonial websites in India from a sociological perspective. With the advent of the internet technology, it explores whether and how the internet as a new medium of spouse selection influences marriage choices and family dynamics during match-fixing. It seeks to unweave the individual–family–community dynamics in the context of changing gender norms. The findings of the study are based on mixed-methods through the use of both qualitative and quantitative data gathered from the website and personal interviews. These data were further strengthened through the walkthrough method and participant observation. The findings of this study reflect upon the prescriptive, restrictive and supportive role played by the family in the context of online spouse selection. It also documents resilience and change (in terms of family structure and norms) in the realm of the family in the context of changing matrimonial preferences.

Citation

Ramraj, Y.G. (2024), "Intermediating Individual and the Community: Indian Family in Online Matchmaking", Chandra, V. and Blair, S.L. (Ed.) Indian Families: Contemporary Family Structures and Dynamics (Contemporary Perspectives in Family Research, Vol. 26), Emerald Publishing Limited, Leeds, pp. 127-148. https://doi.org/10.1108/S1530-353520240000026007