180 pages
228 x 145mm
ISBN-10: 1 85856 141 8
ISBN-13: 978 185856 141 7

Every year thousands of young brides on the Indian Subcontinent are murdered - most often by burning - or driven to suicide over dowry disputes. In some provinces it is virtually unknown; in others it is endemic. Among the communities in the West, affluent parents now spend vast sums on their daughters' dowries and splendid weddings, in efforts to enhance their social status. Original research for this book shows that in two communities in Britain, one Guierati and the other Sikh, dowries are growing ever larger, but that the brides are seeking to retain ownership of their parents' gifts.

Drawing on papers from three international conferences at Harvard and SOAS (with more conferences planned), lawyers, economists, academics and activists review the law and the problems of its enforcement in lndia. The impact on the courts in Pakistan, Bangladesh and the UK of the Indian Dowry Prevention Act and its amendments are examined, and a strategy is put forward to help brides in India who flee from domestic violence.

Dr Werner Menski has taught and researched the subject of dowry for fifteen years. He is Senior Lecturer in South Asian Laws at SOAS, University of London.

...compelling...- The Asian Age

...particularly relevant to those in gender studies and a useful tool for activists dealing with dowry related violence.- The Telegraph, India

...makes a very important contribution to the understanding of dowry as a custom and a major south Asian social problem. ...This book will go a long way toward helping scholars and activists understand the issues and to reinforce their work in eradicating the problem. - Contemporary South Asia