Constructing the “Marriage Is Scary” Stigma: Marriage Motivation among Generation Z in Pekanbaru from an Islamic Legal Sociology Perspective

Abstract

The phenomenon of Marriage is Scary has emerged as a growing stigma among Generation Z, characterized by fear, anxiety, and doubts about marriage due to widespread exposure to cases of divorce, infidelity, domestic violence, and economic pressures through social media and the surrounding social environment. This study aims to examine the views of Generation Z in Pekanbaru City regarding the Marriage is Scary stigma, analyze its implications for marriage motivation, and explore the phenomenon from the perspective of the Sociology of Islamic Law. This study employed a qualitative-dominant mixed-method approach. Primary data were collected through in-depth interviews with 20 Generation Z informants in Pekanbaru City and supported by questionnaires distributed to 100 respondents. Secondary data were obtained from books, journals, official documents, and relevant statistical reports. Data were analyzed through data reduction, data presentation, and conclusion drawing using the Sociology of Islamic Law approach. The findings indicate that Generation Z perceives Marriage is Scary as a fear of various marital risks, particularly choosing the wrong partner, economic instability, marital failure, and infidelity. This stigma has led to decreased motivation to marry, a growing tendency to postpone marriage, greater prioritization of education and career development, and increased selectivity in choosing a life partner. From the perspective of the Sociology of Islamic Law, this phenomenon reflects changes in social construction and family legal awareness influenced by the development of digital culture, causing marriage to be viewed more as an individual choice than a social obligation. Nevertheless, Generation Z's cautious attitude toward marriage preparation can be understood as a form of readiness to achieve the Islamic objectives of marriage, namely the establishment of a family characterized by sakinah (tranquility), mawaddah (affection), and rahmah (compassion). The novelty of this study lies in its application of Berger and Luckmann’s social construction theory within the framework of Islamic Legal Sociology to analyze how digital culture reshapes Generation Z’s family legal awareness, offering a perspective that has not been systematically explored in prior studies on the Marriage Is Scary phenomenon in Indonesia.