On April 26, 2000, Governor Howard Dean of the State of Vermont signed into law the Civil Union bill. The first of its kind in the United States, it extended the rights of marriage to same-sex couples. Holding that the rights of homosexual couples flowed from the Common Benefits clause of the State Constitution, this bill was the result of a contentious judicial and legislative process. Preceding as it did the state and national election contests later in the year, the Civil Union law generated anger, discord, elation and fear. In the year following its passage, Vermonters came to terms with this bill in many ways. This study considers the antecedents and the consequences of this bill.

Unlike most of the literature on polygamy, which mainly uses theological and normative approaches, this thesis is a work of social research which explores both Indonesian Muslim discourses on polygamy and women’s lived experiences in polygamous marriages in the post-Soeharto period (after 1998). The thesis discusses the interpretations of the Qur’anic verses which became the root of Muslim controversies over polygamy. Indonesian Muslim interpretations of polygamy can be divided into three groups based on Saeed’s categorisation of the Muslim approaches to the Qur’an (2006b: 3). First, the group he refers to as the ‘Textualists’ believe that polygamy is permitted in Islam, and regard it as a male right. Second, the group he refers to as ‘Semi-textualists’ believe that Islam discourages polygamy and prefers monogamy; therefore, polygamy can only be permitted under certain circumstances such as when a wife is barren, sick and unable to fulfil her duties, including ‘serving’ her husband’s needs. Third, the group he calls ‘Contextualists’ believe that Islam implicitly prohibits polygamy because just treatment of more than one woman, the main requirement for polygamy, is impossible to achieve.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Washington. / Bibliography: l. [347]-357.

Univ., Diss.--Münster (Westfalen), 2002.

Thesis (Ed.D.)--Teachers College, Columbia University, 1956. / Typescript. Sponsor: Ernest G. Osborne. Dissertation Committee: Helen Judy Bond, James P. Gifford. Type C project. Includes biliographical references (leaves 139-141).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Columbia University. / Includes bibliographical references.

Thèse--Toulouse. / Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (J.C.L.)--Catholic University of America, 1985. / Typescript. Includes vita. This is an electronic reproduction of TREN, #029-0002. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 76-82).

Thesis (L.L.M.)--University of Hong Kong, 1991. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 149-157).

Thesis--Leyden. / Dutch or French, with summary in French. Includes legislation. Description based on print version record. Bibliography: p. [537-549]