Kinship Lecture Notes PDF

Kinship Kinship: 1) PEOPLE -Relations between family members through blood, marriage, adoption (ETIC) 2) ACTIONS - Kinship is also insider knowledge (EMIC) about how to recognize relatives + how to behave around them Expectations + responsibilities Kinship systems + charts - Pattern of...

Kinship Kinship: 1) PEOPLE -Relations between family members through blood, marriage, adoption (ETIC) 2) ACTIONS - Kinship is also insider knowledge (EMIC) about how to recognize relatives + how to behave around them Expectations + responsibilities Kinship systems + charts - Pattern of relations between family members Kinship chart - graphic representation of the kinship relationships Kinship terminology - terms of reference - ETIC - Contain emic info too Descent + Descent Systems - Descent group Group of people with shared or common ancestry Members give each other support + a common identity Claim of membership – back to a common ancestor / real historical person Or a storied figure Social entities, enduring Defined by / represented by a small # of decent systems Purpose of the descent system Provides members w/ an identity Social space Rights + responsibilities Work force (labour) Protection (politics) Provide rules for maintaing property Regulate marriage Descent systems 1. Unilineal Descent system - uni = one / lineal = line 1a. Patrilineal descent Patri = father/ lineal = line 1b. Matrilineal Descent Matri = mother / lineal = line  2. Non-Unilineal Descent systems ‘Not one line’ 2a. Bilateral Descent Bi = two / lateral 1a. Patrilieneal Descent - Unilined descent form - Parti-father / lined line - Membership is traced through your father’s line - Children belong to father’s side - Remember: means a woman after marriage remains part of her father’s linage / group - Men with authority in the household - Patriarchy - Patri = Father (man) - Archy = authority - Most common descent system globally - It encourages patrilocal residence after marriage - Patri = father / man - Local = residence - Pastoral economies, agricultural economies 1b. Matrilineal descent - Unilineal descent system - Membership is defined by links between children + their mothers - Foragers (Tahltan), horticultural societies, some pastoral + agri societies - Is found in roughly 15% of the world’s cultures - Women’s economic roles - Matriarches are rare - Tend to be patriarchies - Archy = authority - In many households, mother’s brother plays a role in economic + family activities - Matrilocal residence after marriage - After marriage, live in woman’s community 2. Non-Unilineal descent 2a. Bilateral Descent Bi = two Lateral = sides - Membership is through offiliation with relatives on both your mother + father’s side - ⅓ of the world’s cultures - Creates/encourages strong, tight nuclear households  - Relations beyond – but the ties get weaker - After marriage – bilocal residence – neolocal Neo = new Local = location - Find it in foraging societies + industrial societies - System that creates flexibility in group membership - Encourage small, mobile groups - High degree of commitment to a small group of people 2a) Bilateral chart - Shade in everyone 2b) double descent - Some things ae passed through father’s side ; others through mother’s side - Bangante (Cameroon) - Mother – movable property (cattle) - Father – village residence 2c) Ambilineal Descent - Choice of affiliation - Ambi - either Unilineal Descent - Large groups - Sedentary communities - Horticultural, pastoral, agricultural societies - Labour - Redistribution exchanges - Potlatches, moka - Rigid, less choice - Lots of people to help - Look inside group for help Bilateral descent - Smaller groups (inuit kinship system) - Mobile - foragers, industrialists - Generalized reciprocity - Flexibility, choice - Fewer people to help - Fewer people to help you - Look outside