Kinship

Kinship is the most universal and basic of all human relationships and is based
on ties of blood, marriage, or adoption. There are two basic kinds of kinship ties:
those based on blood that trace descent and those based on marriage, adoption,
or other connections. Some sociologists and anthropologists have argued that
kinship goes beyond familial ties, and even involves social bonds.

Kinship – pagkakamag-anak

Types of Kinship
Sociologists and anthropologists debate as what to types of kinship exist. Most
social scientists agree that kinship is based on two broad areas: birth and
marriage; others say a third category of kinship involves social ties. These three
types of kinship are:

1. Consanguineal: This kinship is based on blood—or birth: the

relationship between parents and children as well as siblings, says the
Sociology Group. This is the most basic and universal type of kinship. Also
known as a primary kinship, it involves people who are directly related.
2. Affinal: This kinship is based on marriage. The relationship between
husband and wife is also considered a basic form of kinship.
3. Social: Schneider argued that not all kinship derives from blood
(consanguineal) or marriage (affinal). There are also social kinships, where
individuals not connected by birth or marriage may still have a bond of
kinship, he said. By this definition, two people who live in different
communities may share a bond of kinship through a religious affiliation or
a social group, such as the Kiwanis or Rotary service club, or within a rural
or tribal society marked by close ties among its members. A major
difference between consanguineal or affinal and social kinship is that the
latter involves "the ability to terminate absolutely the relationship" without
any legal recourse, Schneider stated in his 1984 book, "A Critique of the
Study of Kinship."

Importance of Kinship
Kinship is important to a person and a community's well-being. Because different
societies define kinship differently, they also set the rules governing kinship,
which are sometimes legally defined and sometimes implied. At its most basic
levels, according to the Sociology Group, kinship refers to:
Descent: the socially existing recognized biological relationships between people
in the society. Every society looks at the fact that all offspring and children
descend from their parents and that biological relationships exist between
parents and children. Descent is used to trace an individual’s ancestry.

Lineage: the line from which descent is traced. This also called ancestry, notes
"The Associated Press Style Guide 2018."

Based on descent and lineage, kinship determines family-line relationships—and

even sets rules on who can marry and with whom, says Puja Mondal in "Kinship:
Brief Essay on Kinship." Mondal adds that kinship sets guidelines for interactions
between people and defines the proper, acceptable relationship between father
and daughter, brother and sister, or husband and wife, for example.

But since kinship also covers social connections, it has a wider role in society,
says the Sociology Group, noting that kinship:

 Maintains unity, harmony, and cooperation among relationships

 Sets guidelines for communication and interactions among people
 Defines the rights and obligations of the family and marriage as well as the
system of political power in rural areas or tribal societies, including among
members who are not related by blood or marriage
 Helps people better understand their relationships with each other
 Helps people better relate to each other in society

Degree of Kinship:
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Any relationship between two individuals is based on the degree of

closeness or distance of that relationship. This closeness or distance of
any relationship depends upon how individuals are related to each
other.

Kinship basically has three degrees, which can be explained

in the following ways (Figure 3):
Primary Kinship:
Primary kinship refers to direct relations. People who are directly
related to each other are known as primary kin. There are basically
eight primary kins—wife father son, father daughter mother son, wife;
father son, father daughter, mother son, mother daughter; brother
sister; and younger brother/sister older brother/sister.

Primary kinship is of two kinds:

1. Primary Consanguineal Kinship:
Primary consanguineal kin are those kin, who are directly related to
each other by birth. The relationships between parents and children
and between siblings form primary kinship. These are the only
primary consanguineal kin found in societies all over the world.

2. Primary Affinal Kinship:

Primary affinal kinship refers, to the direct relationship formed as a
result of marriage. The only direct affinal kinship is the relationship
between husband and wife.

First-degree relatives. From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. A first-

degree relative (FDR) is a person's parent (father or mother), full sibling
(brother or sister) or child. It constitutes a category of family members that
largely overlaps with the term nuclear family, but without spouses.
Primary kinship is based on direct relations. Individuals or people that are
directly related are said to be primary in nature. Primary kinship is further
divided into two:

Primary consanguineal kinship: this kin refers to that kin which is directly
related to each other by birth. For instance association with or amongst
parents and children and among siblings.

Primary Affinal kinship: the relation that takes place with marriage is said to be
Primary Affinal kinship. The direct primary affinal kinship is the husband-wife
relationship.

Secondary Kinship:
Secondary kinship refers to the primary kin’s of primary kin. In other
words, those who are directly related to primary kin (primary kin’s
primary kin) become one’s secondary kin. There are 33 secondary kin.

Secondary kinship is also of two kinds:

Secondary Consanguineal kinship:
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This type of kinship refers to the primary consanguineal kin’s primary

consanguineal kin. The most basic type of secondary consanguineal
kinship is the relationship between grandparents and grandchildren.
In the Figure 3, there is a direct consanguineal relationship between
Ego and his parents. For Ego, his parents are his primary
consanguineal kin. However, for Ego’s parents, their parents are their
primary consanguineal kin. Therefore, for Ego, his grandparents are
his primary consanguineal kin’s (his parents) primary kin. For him,
they become secondary consanguineal kin.

Secondary Affinal Kinship:

Secondary affinal kinship refers to one’s primary affinal kins primary
kin. This kinship includes the relationships between an individual and
all his/her sisters-in-law, brothers-in-law, and parents-in-law. For an
individual, his/her spouse is his/her primary affinal kin, and for the
spouse, his/her parents and siblings are his/her primary kin.
Therefore, for the individual, the parents of brother/sister-in-law will
become his/her secondary affinal kin. Similarly, any sibling’s spouse
or sibling’s parents-in-law will become secondary affinal kin for an
individual.

Secondary kinship

Secondary kinship alludes to the primary kinship. As it were, the individuals

who are specifically identified with primary kinship (i.e. primary kin of our
primary kinship) becomes secondary kinship. In other words, it means
relations which come through primary kinship are said to be secondary
kinship.

There is two type of Secondary kinship:

Secondary Consanguineal kinship:

This kind of kin refers to primary consanguineal kinships primary

consanguineal kinship.The basic example of secondary consanguineal kinship
would be the relationship between grandparents and grandchildren.

Secondary Affinal kinship:

This kind of kinship refers to primary affinal kinships primary kinship. For
example, Anita’s husband is her primary affinal kinship and for Anita’s
husband, her parents and siblings are his primary kin. Therefore meaning the
relationship between Anita and her sister in law/ brother in law or parents in
law and more vice versa is said to be Secondary Affinal kinship. Also, your
sibling’s spouse and his/her parents in law will be his secondary affinal
kinship.
Tertiary Kinship:
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Tertiary kinship refers to the primary kin of primary kin’s primary kin
or secondary kin of primary kin primary kin of secondary kin. Roughly
151 tertiary kin have been identified.

Like other two degrees of kinship, tertiary kinship also has

two categories:
Tertiary Consanguineal Kinship:
Tertiary consanguineal kinship refers to an individual’s primary
consanguineal kin (parents), their primary kin (parents’ parents), and
their primary kin (parent’s parent’s parents). Thus, the relationship is
between great grandchildren and great grandparents, and great grand
aunts and uncles, and consequently the relationship between great
grand uncles and aunts and great grand nieces and nephews.

In Figure 3, Ego’s primary kin are his parents, their primary kin are
his grandparents and his grandparent’s primary kin (who are Ego’s
primary kin’s primary kin’s primary kin) are his great grandparents.
Thus, tertiary kin are primary kin’s primary kin’s primary kin.

This relationship can be seen in different ways – Ego’s tertiary kin are
his primary kin’s (parents) secondary kin (father’s grandparents), thus
showing that tertiary kin are primary kin’s secondary kin. Another way
of looking at this same relationship is by showing that Ego’s tertiary
kin are his secondary consanguineal kin’s (his grandparents) primary
kin (grandfather’s parents), which proves that tertiary kin can be
secondary kin’s primary kin.

Tertiary Affinal Kinship:

Tertiary affinal kinship refers to primary affinal kin’s primary kin’s
primary kin, or secondary affinal kin’s primary kin, or primary affinal
kin’s secondary kin. These relationships are many, and some examples
will suffice at this stage of tertiary affinal kin can be spouse’s
grandparents, or grand uncles and aunts, or they can be brother or
sister-in-law’s spouses or their children. Let us try and understand
these relationships with the help of an illustration.

Most do not allow marriage between first cousins, but Inside Edition
reports six states do permit it under certain conditions. ... Utah is a state
that allows marriage between first cousins only if both are over the age of
65.

Tertiary kinship:

Tertiary kinship is the secondary kinship of our primary kin or primary kin of
our secondary kinship. For example, wife of our brother in law would be
related to us as tertiary kin.

ertiary kinship is further divided into two:

Tertiary consanguineal kinship:

Example of tertiary consanguineal kin would be our primary consanguineal

kins (i.e. our parents) primary kins (i.e. our parents’ parents meaning our
grandparents) primary kins. (i.e. our grandparents’ parents)
Tertiary Affinal kinship:

It means primary affinal kins primary kins primary kin or secondary affinals
primary kin or primary affinal kins secondary kin. For example our spouse’s
grandparents or grand uncles and aunties.

Descent:
Descent refers to the existence of socially recognized biological
relationship between individuals in society. In general, every society
recognizes the fact that all offspring or children descend from parents
and that a biological relationship exists between parents and children.
It refers to a person’s offspring or his parentage. Thus, descent is also
used to trace one’s ancestry.

Lineage:
Lineage refers to the line through which descent is traced. This is done
through the father’s line or the mother’s line or sometimes through
both sides. Both descent and lineage go together as one cannot trace
descent without lineage.

Importance of Kinship in Rural Society:

It is important to study kinship, as it helps in sociological and
anthropological theory building. Pierre Bourdieu, Levi Strauss and
Evans Pritchard are some of the theorists, who have constructed
various theories on the basis of kinship relations. However, except a
few, no substantial work has been done on villages.

Kinship relations have been studied by the Indian sociologists or

anthropologists. Most of them have concentrated on village, caste,
family and other social institutions in rural areas. Few sociologists and
anthropologists, such as, Irawati Karve, Rivers, and T. N. Madan have
made certain notable contributions to the institution of kinship.

The importance of kinship in tribal/rural societies can be

understood from the following discussion:
a. Kinship and its Relation to Rural Family, Property and
Land:
The prime property of any rural family is land. So, land is related to all
the kin members of the family. The sons, grandsons and other kins,
who are related by blood and marriage, have their economic interests
in land. Now-a-days, women are becoming aware that they are also
entitled to get an equal share from the ancestral property.

The emancipation movement of women demands that women should

not be deprived of the inheritance rights and should get all equal share
of the property. In most of the village studies, property and kinship are
discussed in relation to each other.

The family members also gain status by the ownership of land. Even
political status is determined by kinship relations in some cases. In the
case of kin relations, related by blood and marriage, many economic
and political concessions are given to the members of the kin.
However, it does not mean that kinship relations are important only in
rural society as they are also there in urban society too. As the urban
community is widespread, there is hardly any chance for kin members
to participate and meet in the social gatherings of the family.

b. Kinship and Marriage:

In every society, marriage has certain rules, such as endogamy,
exogamy, incest taboos and other restrictions. These rules are ap-
plicable to all the kins of the family. Usually, the rural people are more
serious and strict in observing the rules related to marriage. Exogamy
is commonly followed in most of the villages of India. The members of
the villages do not prefer to marry within their own village. However,
this rule can vary on the basis of the severity of rules of marriage.

Irawati Karve and A. C. Mayer in their studies on kinship have

reported on the village exogamy. Mayer, in his study of Kinship in
Central India, informs that village exogamy is violated in some of the
cases, but it brings disrepute to the parties involved. It must be
observed here that the study conducted by Mayer is an important
document on village ethnography. Mayer further informs that inter-
caste marriages, in all cases, are looked down by the village people.
(Doshi S. L., and Lain P. C., Rural Sociology, p. 192)

c. Kinship and Rituals:

The role and importance of the kin members lies in the degree of close
relationships among them. Their importance can be seen during the
occasions, such as cradle ceremony, marriage and death. During a
naming ceremony, it is the father’s sister, who has to give a name to
the newborn. There are certain rites and rituals, which have to be
performed by mother’s brother during the marriages of daughters.

The daughter’s parents make the payment in cash or kind to the son-
in-law’s sister, who occupies an important place during a Hindu
wedding, especially in South India. It is obligatory on part of the close
kin relatives to offer gifts to the newly wed couples and in the same
manner, these close relatives are equally rewarded from both sides
(parents of the couple). During the occasions of death also, it is
obligatory for the kinsmen to observe mourning for about 11 to 14 days
(this period varies from region to region).

Changes in the Kinship Relations in Rural Society:

Many changes are taking place in all the institutions of the rural
society, including kinship relations. These changes can be noted as
demand for ownership titles by women, rules of marriage are being
challenged and the traditional rules regarding divorce are also getting
weakened.

Though some of the aspects of kinship are losing their importance, few
others are gaining prominence. Kinship is playing an important role in
the field of politics, especially in rural elections to Panchayati Raj
Institutions. Favoritisms, while distributing jobs, is being observed
among the kinsmen. Due to the emergence of such new forces, kinship
may acquire new structure and form.
V.PAMAMARAAN
A. Sagutin ang Gawain A upang malaman anginisyal na satatalakayin.B. Ipaliwanag ang ibig
sabihin ng “Tekstong
Deskriptibo,Tumutugon sa Tanong
na Ano”
A. Humanap ngkapareha at pag-usapan ang mganakalap naimpormasyon ukol sateksto. A. Pagtalakay
sa mganakalap ngimpormasyon sainterbyu.B. Ipaliwang kung bakitmahalaga ang
pagkalapng impormasyon.C. Talakayin angkatangian at kalikasanng tekstong deskriptibo. A.
Basahin angnabuong sanaysay.
VI.KASUNDUAN/TAKDANG ARALIN
Paghahanap ng mgaTekstong Deskriptibo.Mag-interbyu ng isangmay-ari ng local naGawain ng
isangkagamitan. Itala angmahahalagangimpormasyon.Gumawa ng isangsanaysay ukol sa iyongpaboritong
lugar.