Volume-XII, Special Issue, April 2026 |
Extramarital Affairs And Raising Divorce Rate In Contemporary Indian Society: A Sociological Analysis Tapashi Adhikary, Independent Researcher, West Bengal, India |
Received: 01.04.2026 | Accepted: 09.04.2026 | Published Online: 10.04.2026 | Page No: 413-418 | ||||
DOI: 10.29032/ijhsss.vol.12.issue.specialW.309 | |||||||
ABSTRACT | ||
This study examines the relationship between extramarital affairs and rising divorce rates in contemporary Indian society from a sociological perspective. For decades, marriage in India has been strongly associated with social responsibility, especially for women, and divorce often negatively affects women’s social status. (Desai & Krishnaraj, 1987). However, following the 2018 Supreme Court ruling that criminalized adultery as a ground for divorce, public and academic debate on marital instability and changing societal values has intensified. (Uberoi, 2006). This research paper is based on qualitative research using secondary sources such as academic journals, government reports, and sociological research. It explores the causes of extramarital affairs, whether they are influenced by the modernization and westernization of marriage patterns. And what are the social consequences of divorce and marital conflict? The study found that increasing individualism, women’s economic independence, monogamous family structure, and exposure to global culture have led to the complexity of extramarital affairs in married life in India, with unintended consequences in married life. | ||
Keywords: Extramarital affair, Divorce Rate, Modernization Theory, Westernization, Sociological Perspective. |