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Online Dating Paper

Decent Essays

1. Introduction
A study by Rosenfeld and Thomas (2012) observed that 22% of the United States population had found their partner online and that the internet was the third most likely means of meeting a partner for heterosexual couples in 2009 (Rosenfeld & Thomas, 2012). Similar studies have found that 38% of those who are single and looking for a partner have used online dating sites or mobile dating apps (Lenhart & Duggan, 2014). Therefore, the use of digital media in the search for romantic partners is becoming increasingly common. This thesis makes a contribution to this field of study by focusing on how digital media facilitates new ways …show more content…

This study aimed to make a contribution to this area by conducting semi-structured interviews with young British Muslims on their experiences of online Muslim dating. To do so, the following research aims were identified: 1) To explore the experiences, whether positive or negative, of young British Muslims on online Muslim dating websites. 2) To identify whether, or how online methods replace or support traditional offline methods of matchmaking in Islam. 3) To understand the differences if any, between all-Muslim online dating websites as opposed to regular online dating websites and 4) To examine the practices young British Muslims engage in when presenting themselves online and what qualities they look for in a partner online.

The above research aims were formed after reviewing existing literature on, online dating, presentation of self, mate selection, online dating in Islam and changing attitudes of matrimony among young Muslims. The literature review revealed the scarcity of research on young British Muslims finding romantic relationships online, particularly on websites designed specifically for their use. This study was guided by the literature review to explore this under researched area by carrying out semi-structured interviews with young British Muslims to investigate their experiences of online Muslim …show more content…

While several studies have acknowledged the use of the internet as a popular method for adults finding romantic partners (Abad, 2015; Rosenfeld & Thomas, 2012; Whitty & Carr, 2006). Very few sources concluded that online dating is becoming a common social intermediary for different cultures and religions (Lo & Aziz, 2009; Mishra, Monippally & Jayakar, 2013). Therefore, it becomes apparent through this review that there is little research supporting online matchmaking experiences for Muslims. This study thus explores how digital media facilitates new ways of finding a partner for young British Muslims, to contribute to the emerging scholarship in this

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