Until Law Do Us Part: An Explorative Study of Attitudes to Polygamy in Italy

Polygamy – a type of relationship where person marries more than one partner - is the most divisive issues within modern Italian society. Yet, international literature remains mostly silent on citizens’ reasons against and for it. The present paper fills such gap by highlighting narratives 22 individuals aged between their late-20s mid-50s. Results show that participants believe there troubling correlation polygamy harm to women children. Slippery slope objections were commonplace in all discussions. For instance, many respondents asserted practice leads radical transformation notion marriage consequence, family. Others felt it increases likelihood unmarried men resort crime as means gain material symbolic resources partners status. Notably, these perspectives may be expected mirror those society at large. Future research should demonstrate whether balance can struck measures required law protect people from violence, preserving right marry. However, scholars must avoid playing into mainstream narrative inherently adversarial Western values.