Skip to main content

LUP Student Papers

LUND UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES

Tager du din kusin att älska i nöd och lust? En rättshistorisk uppsats om förbudet mot kusinäktenskap

Salas Ramos, Jessiret LU (2024) LAGF03 20242
Department of Law
Faculty of Law
Abstract
In 2024, the government presented the result of a ministry report series that aimed to investigate whether a ban on marriage between cousins and other relatives should be implemented. The investigation resulted in a legislative proposal that Sweden should introduce a ban on cousin marriage without the possibility of dispensation. It is not yet determined whether this bill will come into effect, but this would not be the first ban on cousin marriage that Sweden has had. Between 1215–1845 there was a ban on cousin marriage, which was combined with the possibility of dispensation. The purpose of this essay is therefore to investigate the background to the previous ban and what factors led up to its abolition in 1845, as well as to investigate... (More)
In 2024, the government presented the result of a ministry report series that aimed to investigate whether a ban on marriage between cousins and other relatives should be implemented. The investigation resulted in a legislative proposal that Sweden should introduce a ban on cousin marriage without the possibility of dispensation. It is not yet determined whether this bill will come into effect, but this would not be the first ban on cousin marriage that Sweden has had. Between 1215–1845 there was a ban on cousin marriage, which was combined with the possibility of dispensation. The purpose of this essay is therefore to investigate the background to the previous ban and what factors led up to its abolition in 1845, as well as to investigate the justification for today’s bill regarding the reintroduction of the ban. The essay thus intends to follow the development of the previous ban and the present parts of the inves-tigation that resulted in the current bill.
Canon law had an impact in Sweden as early as the 13th century, and it was upheld by the church. The rules concerned, among other things, the regulation of marriages, including the ban on cousin marriages. The ban was firmly es-tablished in Sweden but began to be questioned in connection to the refor-mation during the 16th century. It was during this time more people began to question the legitimacy of the ban since it was not prescribed in the Bible. Dispensations were also granted more frequently, but despite this, it was con-cluded that the ban needed to remain to preserve morality in society. The pro-tective interest was thus based in a Christian tradition which was considered to fulfill the purpose of maintaining morality. However, since dispensations were almost always granted the perception of the ban changed and was thus considered to have lost its legitimacy.
The bill regarding the reintroduction of the ban on cousin marriage has no basis in religious beliefs. The investigation makes it clear that the intentions of investigating whether a reintroduction should be made is to map out whether a ban can counteract honor oppression. The investigation highlights the problem with honor oppression and concludes that cousin marriage plays a central role in the practice of this type of oppression and violence. In addition to this, there were other aspects discussed in the investigation, such as the genetic risks that exist when cousins have children together. Unlike the other Nordic countries, Norway already has a ban on cousin marriage and comparisons are made be-tween their ban and Sweden’s bill. However, the investigation establishes that they do not follow Norway’s justification regarding the ban on cousin mar-riage, but mainly bases the bill on countering honor oppression. The protec-tive interest between the previous ban in Sweden and the current bill thus dif-fer significantly, even though the ban targets the same thing. (Less)
Abstract (Swedish)
Regeringen presenterade 2024 ett resultat av en utredning som utrett huruvida ett förbud mot äktenskap mellan kusiner och vissa andra släktskap bör införas. Utredningen utmynnade i ett lagförslag om att det bör införas ett förbud mot kusinäktenskap utan möjlighet till dispens. Det är ännu inte fast- ställt huruvida detta lagförslag kommer att träda i kraft, men detta skulle inte vara Sveriges första förbud mot kusinäktenskap. Mellan 1215 och 1845 rådde ett förbud mot kusinäktenskap i Sverige som var förenat med dispens- möjlighet. Uppsatsen har som syfte att undersöka bakgrunden till det tidi- gare förbudet och vad som ledde fram till dess avskaffande 1845, samt un- dersöka motiveringen till dagens lagförslag gällande återinförandet av... (More)
Regeringen presenterade 2024 ett resultat av en utredning som utrett huruvida ett förbud mot äktenskap mellan kusiner och vissa andra släktskap bör införas. Utredningen utmynnade i ett lagförslag om att det bör införas ett förbud mot kusinäktenskap utan möjlighet till dispens. Det är ännu inte fast- ställt huruvida detta lagförslag kommer att träda i kraft, men detta skulle inte vara Sveriges första förbud mot kusinäktenskap. Mellan 1215 och 1845 rådde ett förbud mot kusinäktenskap i Sverige som var förenat med dispens- möjlighet. Uppsatsen har som syfte att undersöka bakgrunden till det tidi- gare förbudet och vad som ledde fram till dess avskaffande 1845, samt un- dersöka motiveringen till dagens lagförslag gällande återinförandet av för- budet. Uppsatsen avser således att följa utvecklingen av det tidigare förbu- det och presentera delar av utredningen som resulterade i det nuvarande lag- förslaget.
Kanonisk rätt hade genomslag i Sverige redan under 1200-talet och upprätt- hölls av kyrkan. Reglerna rörde bland annat reglering av äktenskapsetsingå- ende, däribland ett förbud mot kusinäktenskap. Förbudet hade stark förank- ring i Sverige, men började ifrågasättas i samband med reformationen under 1500-talet. Det var under denna tidsperiod som allt fler började ifrågasätta förbudets legitimitet eftersom förbudet inte var föreskrivet i Bibeln. Dispens beviljades alltmer frekvent men trots detta rådde det en uppfattning om att förbudet behövde kvarstå för att bevara sedligheten i samhället. Skyddsin- tresset var därmed grundat i en kristen tradition som ansågs uppfylla syftet i att bibehålla sedlighet i Sverige. Synen på förbudet ändrades emellertid ef- tersom dispens nästintill alltid beviljades och förbudet ansågs därmed ha förlorat sin legitimitet.
Lagförslaget gällande återinförande av ett förbud mot kusinäktenskap har inga grunder i religiösa övertygelser. I utredningen görs det tydligt att syftet med kartläggningen är för att undersöka huruvida ett återinförande kan mot- verka hedersförtryck. Utredningen belyser problematiken som existerar i samhället med hedersförtryck och anser att kusinäktenskap spelar en central
3
roll i utövandet av hedersvåld. Utöver detta, belyser utredningen andra aspekter som diskuterades, däribland de genetiska risker som finns när kusi- ner skaffar barn tillsammans. Till skillnad från länder i övriga Norden, har Norge redan ett förbud mot kusinäktenskap och jämförelser görs mellan det norska förbudet och Sveriges lagförslag. Utredningen fastställer dock att de inte följer Norges motivering gällande förbud mot kusinäktenskap, utan grundar huvudsakligen lagförslaget med att motverka hedersförtryck. Skyddsintressena mellan det tidigare förbudet i Sverige och nuvarande lag- förslag skiljer sig därmed avsevärt, trots att förbudet riktar sig mot samma sak. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
Salas Ramos, Jessiret LU
supervisor
organization
course
LAGF03 20242
year
type
M2 - Bachelor Degree
subject
keywords
Rättshistoria, legal history, äktenskap, familjerätt, kusiner, hedersförtryck, religion
language
Swedish
id
9180242
date added to LUP
2025-03-20 14:20:46
date last changed
2025-03-20 14:20:46
@misc{9180242,
  abstract     = {{In 2024, the government presented the result of a ministry report series that aimed to investigate whether a ban on marriage between cousins and other relatives should be implemented. The investigation resulted in a legislative proposal that Sweden should introduce a ban on cousin marriage without the possibility of dispensation. It is not yet determined whether this bill will come into effect, but this would not be the first ban on cousin marriage that Sweden has had. Between 1215–1845 there was a ban on cousin marriage, which was combined with the possibility of dispensation. The purpose of this essay is therefore to investigate the background to the previous ban and what factors led up to its abolition in 1845, as well as to investigate the justification for today’s bill regarding the reintroduction of the ban. The essay thus intends to follow the development of the previous ban and the present parts of the inves-tigation that resulted in the current bill. 
Canon law had an impact in Sweden as early as the 13th century, and it was upheld by the church. The rules concerned, among other things, the regulation of marriages, including the ban on cousin marriages. The ban was firmly es-tablished in Sweden but began to be questioned in connection to the refor-mation during the 16th century. It was during this time more people began to question the legitimacy of the ban since it was not prescribed in the Bible. Dispensations were also granted more frequently, but despite this, it was con-cluded that the ban needed to remain to preserve morality in society. The pro-tective interest was thus based in a Christian tradition which was considered to fulfill the purpose of maintaining morality. However, since dispensations were almost always granted the perception of the ban changed and was thus considered to have lost its legitimacy. 
The bill regarding the reintroduction of the ban on cousin marriage has no basis in religious beliefs. The investigation makes it clear that the intentions of investigating whether a reintroduction should be made is to map out whether a ban can counteract honor oppression. The investigation highlights the problem with honor oppression and concludes that cousin marriage plays a central role in the practice of this type of oppression and violence. In addition to this, there were other aspects discussed in the investigation, such as the genetic risks that exist when cousins have children together. Unlike the other Nordic countries, Norway already has a ban on cousin marriage and comparisons are made be-tween their ban and Sweden’s bill. However, the investigation establishes that they do not follow Norway’s justification regarding the ban on cousin mar-riage, but mainly bases the bill on countering honor oppression. The protec-tive interest between the previous ban in Sweden and the current bill thus dif-fer significantly, even though the ban targets the same thing.}},
  author       = {{Salas Ramos, Jessiret}},
  language     = {{swe}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{Tager du din kusin att älska i nöd och lust? En rättshistorisk uppsats om förbudet mot kusinäktenskap}},
  year         = {{2024}},
}