Kinship

Kinship

Relationship through blood (consanguinal) or marriage (affinal)

Kinship system – all relationships based on blood or marriage that link people in a web of rights and obligations

Kinship

Cultural construct The way a society classifies kin may not

reflect biological relationship Father may be biological father= genitor

or one who takes social responsibility for child’s

upbringing = pater

Toda of India

Kinship

Function of kinship ties: To raise children so they

can be members of society Inheritance of property Succession of social

position Support network

Kinship – Rules of Descent

Descent = affiliation between a child and one or both parents

Descent group = kin who are descendants of a common ancestor

Kinship – Rules of Descent

Lineage = kin who trace descent from a common ancestor

Related lineages may form clans Clans = kin who believe they share

common ancestor but can’t trace a link A groups of related clans = phratry

Kinship – Rules of Descent

Unilineal Patrilineal Matrilineal

Double descent Nonunilineal

Bilateral Ambilineal

Kinship – Rules of Descent

Unilineal = descent traced through one parent Patrilineal = descent traced through father Matrilineal = descent traced through mother

Double descent = combo w/ different puropses

Nonunilineal = both parents have equal claim Bilateral = equal affiliation with both parents Ambilineal = individual chooses to affiliate with

descent group of one parent

Kinship – Principles of Classification Ego = self, center of kinship structure Relationships can be described relative to ego

according to seven different principles

Kinship – Principles of Classification

Generation Relative age Lineality vs. colaterality Gender Consanguinal vs. affinal Sex of linking relative (parallel/cross cousin)

Side of the family

Kinship Systems

Hawaiian Eskimo Iroquois Omaha Crow Sudanese

Kinship Systems - Hawaiian

Found in Polynesia Simple – fewest terms Principle: Generation Descent group: ambilineality

Kinship Systems - Eskimo

North American foragers Separate names for nuclear family Principle: Generation Descent group: bilateral

Kinship Systems: Iroquois

Principles: side of family, gender, sex of linking relative, generation

Descent group: unilineal, matrilineal or double

Kinship Systems: Omaha

Principles: side of family, gender, sex of linking relative

Descent group: patrilineal, generations merged on mother’s side

Kinship Systems: Crow

Principles: side of family, gender, sex of linking relative

Descent group: matrilineal generations merged on father’s side

Kinship Systems: Sudanese

Different term for every relative Principles: side of family, gender, sex of

linking relative, generation Descent group: patrilineal