Chapter 8 Chapter 8 Kinship and DescentKinship and Descent

Why Study Kinship and Why Study Kinship and Descent?Descent?

Relationships based on kinship are Relationships based on kinship are the core of a culture's social the core of a culture's social organization.organization.

Societies vary in their kinship and Societies vary in their kinship and descent systems.descent systems.

The kinds and sizes of groups The kinds and sizes of groups formed using kinship and descent formed using kinship and descent principles are diverse. principles are diverse.

TerminologyTerminology Kin group: Kin group: members share a sense of identity members share a sense of identity

as relatives.as relatives. Descent group:Descent group: members believe they’re members believe they’re

descended from a common ancestor.descended from a common ancestor. Lineage:Lineage: unilineal descent group whose unilineal descent group whose

members can trace their descent to a common members can trace their descent to a common ancestor 4-5 generations ago. ancestor 4-5 generations ago. (demonstrated (demonstrated descent)descent)

Clan:Clan: unilineal descent group whose members unilineal descent group whose members may not be able to trace descent, but believe may not be able to trace descent, but believe they’re related through an ancestor (or totem) they’re related through an ancestor (or totem) from long ago. from long ago. (stipulated descent)(stipulated descent)

Unilineal Descent:Unilineal Descent: Relatives related through Relatives related through

only one sexonly one sex Patrilineal descentPatrilineal descent

People trace their primary kinship People trace their primary kinship connections to the ancestors and connections to the ancestors and living relatives of their fathers.living relatives of their fathers.

Matrilineal descentMatrilineal descent People trace their primary kinship People trace their primary kinship

connections to the ancestors and connections to the ancestors and living relatives of their mothers.living relatives of their mothers.

Bilateral Kinship Bilateral Kinship

Individuals trace kin relations Individuals trace kin relations equally through both parents.equally through both parents.

Unlike descent groups no large, Unlike descent groups no large, well-defined, property-holding well-defined, property-holding groups exist.groups exist.

Tracing kin relationships bilaterally Tracing kin relationships bilaterally produces an association of relatives produces an association of relatives known as a known as a kindredkindred (all the bilateral (all the bilateral relatives of an individual).relatives of an individual).

Influences on Kinship Influences on Kinship SystemsSystems

60% of foraging societies are bilateral or 60% of foraging societies are bilateral or cognatic (individuals choose which group to cognatic (individuals choose which group to affiliate with).affiliate with).

75% of pastoral societies have patrilineal 75% of pastoral societies have patrilineal descent as livestock are most often owned & descent as livestock are most often owned & managed by men.managed by men.

Patrilineal descent has been interpreted as a Patrilineal descent has been interpreted as a way to improve success in intergroup warfare.way to improve success in intergroup warfare.

60% of matrilineal cultures are horticultural, 60% of matrilineal cultures are horticultural, yet most horticultural societies have yet most horticultural societies have patrilineal descent.patrilineal descent.

Cultural Construction of Cultural Construction of KinshipKinship

The idea that the kinship relationships The idea that the kinship relationships a given people recognize do not a given people recognize do not perfectly reflect biological perfectly reflect biological relationships.relationships.

As children grow up in a community, As children grow up in a community, they socially learn the logic by which they socially learn the logic by which their culture classifies “relatives”.their culture classifies “relatives”.

Categories of kinship do not simply Categories of kinship do not simply reflect biological/genetic relationships.reflect biological/genetic relationships.

TerminologyTerminology

Named after the people discovered Named after the people discovered using each system:using each system: EskimoEskimo HawaiianHawaiian IroquoisIroquois OmahaOmaha CrowCrow

Eskimo SystemEskimo System Used in America and most other Used in America and most other

“Western” cultures, as well as most “Western” cultures, as well as most hunter-gatherers.hunter-gatherers.

MotherMother - Ego's biological mother. - Ego's biological mother. FatherFather - Ego's biological father. - Ego's biological father. AuntAunt - father's sister and mother's sister. - father's sister and mother's sister. UncleUncle - father's brother and mother's - father's brother and mother's

brother.brother. BrotherBrother//SisterSister - children of mother and - children of mother and

father.father.

Eskimo Kinship Eskimo Kinship terminologyterminology