In contemporary discourse, non-monogamy is understood to encompass a variety of practices, ranging from culturally institutionalised arrangements like polygamy to consensual agreements such as open relationships and polyamory , as well as non-consensual forms like infidelity. In the Western world, from a legal perspective, marrying more than one person is not permitted, as the law recognises only monogamous marriage—a union between two individuals.
These distinctions allow non-monogamy to be broadly categorised into three major forms:. It is important to note that the above-described categories are not mutually exclusive or collectively exhaustive as individual experiences often diverge from standard definitions due to the intricate nuances inherent in the complexity of human sexual relationships.
Non-monogamy is practiced globally, but its prevalence varies significantly depending on cultural, legal, and societal factors. Polygyny is legally recognised and regulated in many Muslim-majority countries, where Islamic law permits a man to marry up to four wives under specific conditions.
For example, Tunisia banned polygyny as part of its family law reform under president Habib Bourguiba in Polyandry is considered incompatible with Sharia law and is therefore not recognised in Muslim-majority countries. In the United States, Canada, all European countries, and Russia, marriage is legally defined as a union between two individuals, and no form of polygamy is legally recognised.
For example, in France and Germany, polygamy is not recognised under civil law, and attempts to enter into such unions can result in criminal charges, denial of marital benefits, or annulment of subsequent marriages. Polygamy is broadly unrecognised in European countries, posing challenges for asylum seekers with multiple spouses, as typically only one spouse is granted a residence permit and international protection. Unlike polygamy, CNM does not involve multiple legally recognised marriages but instead consists of consensual agreements between adults to engage in multiple romantic or sexual relationships.
