Such a hot-button, misunderstood subject such as polygamy in Islam needs to be dealt with responsibly. Fairweather isn't irresponsible, per se. He offers some historical and cultural contextualization. But this example is too isolated to draw anything deep understanding of how families work, or don't work, in Afghanistan today. He offers only anecdotal comparative information, and that too is with a Yemeni.

Discusses women's lives without interviewing women. I understand why he could not interview Farid's wives, but were there no other women he could interview? I suspect their views might be different and worth reading - perhaps they would touch on safety/security/economics as possible motivations, for example. Or not - my point is just that we have no idea, because they aren't in here, as Fairweather is obviously aware. Moreover, the only two countries discussed in any detail are war-torn - surely this context matters. Finally, the video doesn't seem to square very well with the article - for example, the article ends with a mention of what Farid wants for his sons, whereas the video ends with him saying he wants his ... More »