The general subject in the field of ethics that concerns the acceptability of polygamy in one place but not in another is cultural relativism. Cultural relativism is the ethical theory that moral standards and practices-such as polygamy-are relative to the cultural context in which they occur. What is considered morally acceptable in one culture may be viewed as wrong in another, and there is no absolute universal standard to judge these differences. This perspective promotes understanding and tolerance of cultural practices by evaluating them within their own cultural framework rather than imposing external judgments

. In the case of polygamy, it is legally and culturally accepted in many Muslim-majority countries and parts of Africa but is illegal and considered unethical in many Western and predominantly Christian countries. This variation exemplifies cultural relativism, where the morality and legality of polygamy depend on the cultural and legal norms of each society

. Thus, the ethical concern about polygamy's acceptability across different societies falls under cultural relativism in ethics.