Chapter 10: Kinship, Family, and Marriage

Moiety

1/2 of society, when that society is organized into 2 contrasting halves.

Kin Type

Universal description. Universal descriptor. EX: Mother's older brother.

Unilineal Descent

Tracing membership through a single line of related ancestors. Produces a variety of kinds of descent groups.

Kinship

Cultural system that defines familial relationships and obligations. Universal cross-cultural way of organizing people into groups. Physical facts given cultural meaning.

Nuclear Family

Ideal vs reality. Modern phenomenon that is the result of economic boom. Allowed newly weds to afford their own home.

Marriage Systems

Involves 3 questions. WHO is an acceptable partner? (Endogamy, exogamy) How many people should you marry? (Monogamy, polygamy) How is wealth and property involved in arrangement/completion? (Bride wealth, bride service, dowry)

Residence

Kinship is commonly used to build a residential group/household. Practices: - Patrilocality - Matrilocality - Neolocality

Cousins by Choice. Asian Youth in Southall England

Large population of immigrants that lack kinship from home. Youth, as a result, made extensive use of term cousin among friends. Friendship --> Cousin. Making up for relationships lost when immigrating.

Endogamy

Marrying within your own kind. Typically includes categories such as: Race, nationality, class, religion, language, religion, etc.

Invention of Monogamy

Monogamy was invented similarly to heterosexuality in order to ensure that women had support for children and so that men could ensure paternity of children. Polyamory has developed recently/become more prevalent and shows cultural change.

Patrilineal Descent

A system of tracing descent through the father's side of the family

Matrilineal Descent

A system of tracing descent through the mother's side of the family

Exogamy

Marry outside your own kind. Includes categories such as: Family, sex/gender.

Phratry

A unilineal descent group composed of at least two clans that supposedly share a common ancestry, whether or not they really do. Group of related clans.

Kin term

Culturally Specific EX: Uncle

Marriage

"Horizontal" principle. Links individuals and groups into long term relationships. Nearly universal. A socially recognized enduring bond between 2 or more people. Functions: - Biological reproduction - Social reproduction - Inter-group alliance

Descent

"Vertical" principle. Linking people down through generations by common ancestry.

Main Principles of Kinship

- Marriage - Residence - Descent

Ambilineal Descent

A form of bilateral descent in which an individual may choose to affiliate with either the father's or mother's descent group. Assigned to either line or change.

Clan

A group of related lineages.

Bilateral Descent

A kinship system in which both sides of a person's family are regarded as equally important. In U.S., we recognize both sides of the family.

Patrilocality

Bride moves in with groom and his family. (70%) Towards male dominance.

Chosen Families

Can choose families. Moving across country to create new networks and leaving some family behind.

Kin to Survive Poverty. Black Networks near Chicago

Difficult economic circumstances resulted in kinship when community support networks were used. EX: Fostering kids, loaning $

Increased divorce and 2nd marriage leads to...

Expanding kinship networks.

T/F Do all societies name/term kin relationships the same?

FALSE Ex: Uncle in one society is called a father in another and a cousin in another, etc, etc. Language or code for key social and kinship concerns in society.

Fictive Kin

Family-like relationships that are not based on blood or marriage but on close friendship ties. Kinship often formed outside of biology and marriage. EX: Person who is your aunt or uncle but not related to you by marriage or biology.

Bride Service

Foraging societies. Giving labor in exchange for marrying bride.

Lineage

Group claiming a common ancestor

Polygamy

Having more than one spouse

Bride Wealth/Bride price

Man gives wealth to bride's family. Nearly 50% of recorded societies. Pastoralists.

Matrilocality

Man moves in with bride and her family. (<15%) Enhance female status and power.

Love and Marriage

Marriage based on love is modern and western idea.

Monogamy

Marriage to only one person at a time. Can be serial or absolute/life long.

Semi-Arranged Marriages in India.

More modern development. Has parent's influence but gives more choice to children to choose partners. Facilitated by technology. Demonstrates cultural dynamics and transitions with time, even in "rigid" systems. Shows strict systems are not unchanging.

Neolocality

Norm for western society. Makes many small households. Independence from larger family units to maximize consumption.

Polygyny

One man can marry more than one woman.

Polyandry

One woman can marry more than one man. Less common due to questions of paternity.

Houses, hearths, and kinship. Langkawi of Malaysia

Related by "blood" because of sharing space. Relationships are strong when together, but become weak when people move away. Longer you stay, greater direct kinship develops.

T/F American English is very vague in kinship terminology.

TRUE. Much more specific in other languages. Doesn't specify gender, age/relative age, "side of the family"

Arranging Marriage in India

Traits Sought After: - Similar social class - Education - # of siblings - Family reputation - Looks - Compatibility - Woman's independence Advantages: - Brings families together - Children don't have to worry about dating - Parent's are better equipped to choose - Females are not competing with each other Disadvantages: - Bride needs to move in with husband's family - Potentially disastrous if wrong match is made.

Dowry

Woman's family gives wealth to the man. Ex: Woman's family paying for wedding.