Kinship Systems, Family Dynamics, and Sexual Rules

A Family Tree

Family Dynamics Marriage rules Child rearing practices Sexuality rules Sex Roles, masculinity and femininity

Patterns and Rules: Questions 1. Who can marry? 2. Who can marry whom? –Endogamy or Exogamy –The crime of Incest (having sexual relations with or marrying a close relative) – defined as either a biological and an economic/political problem. –Homogamy – marrying in the same social class or group

Patterns and Rules: Questions 3. Who moves into whose house? Patrilocal, matrilocal, or neolocal patterns? 4. How does property transfer between generations? Patrilineal or matrilineal transfer?

Collateral Kinship The degree of collateral kinship of two persons is computed by commencing with one of the persons, ascending from that person to a common ancestor, descending from that ancestor to the other person, and counting one degree for each person in the line of ascent and in the line of descent, exclusive of the person from whom the computation begins.

Collateral Kinship, cont. Siblings are related to each other in the second degree, uncle and niece are related to each other in the third degree, and first cousins are related to each other in the fourth degree.