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Overview
Families, Kinship and Descent

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2004 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Nuclear and Extended Families

The nuclear family consists of a married couple and their children. The nuclear family is ego-centered and impermanent, while descent groups are permanent (lasting beyond the life spans of individual constituents) and reckoned according to a single ancestor. Ones family of orientation is the family in which one is born and grows up, while ones family of procreation is formed when one marries and has children. Claims made for the universality of the nuclear family, based upon the universality of marriage, do not hold up--the nuclear family is widespread, but not universal.

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2004 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Nuclear and Extended Families (cont.)

In societies where the nuclear family is important, this structure acts as a primary arena for sexual, reproductive, economic, and enculturative functions, but it is not the only structure used by societies for these (e.g., the Etoro, Nayar, Betsileo). In many societies, the extended families are the primary unit of social organization
Among the Muslims of western Bosnia, nuclear families are embedded within large extended families called zadrugas headed by a male household head and his wife. The Nayars are a matrilineal society from India and are the dominant caste, originated in Kerala. Extended families live in compounds called tarawads headed by a senior woman.

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2004 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Industrialism and Family Organization

The most prevalent residence pattern in the United States is families of procreation living neolocally. In the U.S., as in other large, industrialized societies, patterns of residence and family types may change from class to class, in response to the conditions of these different contexts (e.g., extended families as a response to poverty).

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2004 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Changes in North American Kinship

In 1995, 25 percent of American households were inhabited by nuclear families. Increasing representation of women in the work force is associated with a rise in marriage age. The divorce rate rose steeply between 1970 and 1994. The media is reflecting and intensifying these changes. Comparatively, Americans (especially middle class) identify a smaller range of kindred than members of nonindustrial societies.

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2004 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

The Family among Foragers

The two basic units of social organization among foragers are the nuclear family and the band. Typically, the band exists only seasonally, breaking up into nuclear families when subsistence means require.

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2004 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Descent Groups
A descent group is a permanent social unit whose members claim common ancestry. With matrilineal descent individuals automatically join the mothers descent group when they are born. With patrilineal descent individuals automatically join the fathers descent group when they are born. Matrilineal and patrilineal descent are types of unilineal descent in which individuals only recognize one line of descent. A lineage is a descent group who can demonstrate their common descent from an apical ancestor. A clan is a descent group who claims common descent from an apical ancestor but cannot demonstrate it (stipulated descent). When a clans apical ancestor is nonhuman, it is called a totem.

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2004 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Patrilineal: tracing descent through the men only

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2004 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Matrilineal:tracing descent through women only

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2004 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

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Bilateral:tracing descent through both men and women

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2004 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

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Ambilineal Descent
People can choose the descent group that they want to belong to. Membership is fluid as people can change their descent group membership. With unilineal descent, membership is ascribed, but for ambilineal descent, membership is achieved.

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2004 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

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Lineages, Clans, and Residence Rules

In tribal societies, the descent group, not the nuclear family, is the fundamental unit. In many societies, descent groups are corporate, sharing resources and property. Unilocal Residence
Patrilocalitymarried couple lives with husband's family; associated with patrilineal descent and is more common than matrilocality. Matrilocalitymarried couple lives with wife's family; associated with matrilineal descent and is less common than patrilocality.

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2004 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

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Kinship Calculation
Kinship calculation is any systemic method for reckoning kin relations. Genealogical Kin Types and Kin Terms
Kin terms are the labels given in a particular culture to different kinds of relatives. Biological kin type refers to the degree of actual genealogical relatedness.

Bilateral Kinship
Used by most Americans and Canadians. Kinship is traced through both male and female lines. Kin links through males and females are perceived as being similar or equivalent. In North American bilateral kinship there is often matrilineal skewing, a preference for relatives on the mother's side.

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2004 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

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Kinship Terminology
Kinship terminologies are native taxonomies (emic), not developed by anthropologists. Lineal terminology: most Americans and Canadians use lineal terminology, which distinguishes lineal, collateral, and affinal relatives. Bifurcate merging terminology: this is the most common, associated with unilineal descent and unilocal residence. Generational terminology: typical of ambilineal societies, this calls ascending, same sex relatives by the same names. Bifurcate collateral terminology: common to North Africa and the Middle East, this is the most particular system.

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2004 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

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Lineal kinship: distinguishes lineal, affinal and collateral kin

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2004 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

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Generational Kinship: this calls ascending, same sex relatives by the same names.

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2004 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

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Bifurcate Merging: fathers brother is father, mother is mothers sister

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2004 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

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Bifurcate Collateral: Different for everyone, most particular

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2004 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.