Download Kinship Diagrams

• ***Kinship system: the predominant form of kin
relationships in a culture and the kinds of behavior
involved.
• Kinship systems are often linked with the modes of
livelihood and reproduction.
• The kinship group performs functions of ensuring the
continuity of the group by arranging marriages;
maintaining social order by setting moral rules and
punishing offenders; and providing for the basic needs
of members by regulating production, consumption and
distribution.
• In Europe and the US the predominant western culture
emphasizes primary relations “blood relatives,” or relations
through birth from a biological mother and father.
• However, Blood is not a universal basis for kinship. In many
cultures blood based kinship ties are based on the sex of an
individual (in some cases males are considered of one blood
and females are not) and in some cultures acting like kin
automatically makes you part of the family ( Inuit populations).
Characters
Female
Male
Relationships
Kin Abbreviations
=
Mo mother
Married
≈ Is cohabitating with
Deceased Female
Deceased Male
≈
Female “ego” of the
diagram
Is divorced from
Br Brother
Is separated from
Z
Sister
H
husband
Adopted-in female
Male “ego” of the
diagram
H
Fa Father
Adopted-in male
W wife
Is descended from
Da daughter
Is the sibling of
S
son
Co cousin
• Descent: The tracing of kinship relationship through parentage.
• Bilineal descent: the tracing of descent through both parents.
• Unilineal descent: the tracing of descent through only one parent.
• **Patrilineal Descent: A descent system that highlights the
importance of men in tracing descent, determining marital
residence with or near the groom’s family, and providing for
inheritance of property through the male line.
• **Matrilineal Descent: A descent system that highlights the
importance of women by tracing descent through the female
line, favoring marital residence with or near the bride’s family
and providing for property to be inherited through the female
line.
• In many cultures kinship ties are reinforced through the act of sharing
and support. These relationships may be informal or ritually formalized.
• Food Sharing and kinship
Within many cultures individuals may share food with family members and friends to
reinforce this sharing and supportive rule.
• Adoption and Fostering
• Another form of sharing-based on kinship is the transfer of a child or children
from the birth parents to the care of someone else. Adoption is a permanent
and formal form of child transfer.
• Reasons for adoption or fostering may include– premarital/unwanted
pregnancy or an over abundance of children.
• Ritually defined ties between adults and children born to other
people. (Godparents/guardians).
• Marriage or Marriage-like relationships (co-habitation):
Anthropologists recognize that some concept of marriage exists
in all cultures, though it may take different forms and serve
different functions.
• Marriage: A union, usually between 2 people who are likely to
be, but are not necessarily, co-resident, sexually involved with
each other and procreative.
Endogamy vs. Exogamy
• Endogamy: Marriage within a particular group or locality.
• Exogamy: Marriage outside a particular group or locality.
• ***Incest Taboo: A strongly held prohibition against marrying or
having sex with particular kin.
Forms of Cousin Marriage:
• Parallel cousin: Offspring of either one’s father’s brother or one’s
mother’s sister.
• Cross-cousin: Offspring of either one’s father’s sister or one’s
mother’s brother.
• Hypergyny: The groom may be wealthier more educated, older or taller
• Hypogyny: The bride may be wealthier more educate, older or taller
• Isogamy: The bride and groom have similar wealth, education, age and/or height.
Dowry
Goods and money given by
the bride’s family to the
married couple
Europe, Asia
Agriculturalists and
Industrialists
Groomprice
A form of dowry: good and
money give by the bride’s
family to the married couple
and to the parent of the groom.
South Asia, especially Northern
India
Brideprice (or bride wealth)
Goods and money given by the
groom’s family to the parents of
the bride
Asia, Africa, Central and South
America; horticulturalists and
pastoralists
Brideservice
Labor given by the groom to the Southeast Asia, the Pacific and
parents of the bride
Amazonia; horticulturalists
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Monogamy: Marriage between two people.
Polygamy: Marriage involving multiple spouses.
Polygyny: Marriage of one husband to multiple wives.
Polyandry: Marriage of one wife to multiple husbands.
• Household: Either one person living alone or a group of people who
may or may not be related by kinship and who share living space.
• Nuclear household: A domestic unit containing one adult couple
married or partners with or without children.
• Extended household: A co-residential group that comprises more
than one parent-child unit.
• Stem household: A co-residential group that comprises only two
married couples related through males, commonly found in East Asian
cultures.
• Household headship: Primary person or persons responsible for
supporting the household financially and making major decisions.
• Matrifocality: A household pattern in which a female (or females) is
the central figure around whom other members cluster.
• Changes in Descent, marriage and households have seen a rise
in the past 25-30 years; due in part to globalization.
• Changes in Descent…Decline of Matrilineal descent world wide
as result of Western European globalization.
• Changes in Marriage… Increased alterations in courtship,
marriage ceremonies, age at marriage, marriage crisis (couples
who want to marry but cannot) and marital relationships (sexual
and emotional).
• Changes in Household… International migration or
Transnationalism, Globalization and the rise of the nuclear
family, and homelessness