October 25, 2011 Lineage and Kinship (cont.) Marriage

Why is the study of kinship important? Structures relationships Determines whom one can marry (rules of incest) Determines whom one should marry Determines resolution of problems Provides basis for political organization

Kinship … or Relatedness? Consanguinity Relation through birth Affinity Relation through marriage Fictive Relation through choice/socially-constructed relation

Features of Marriage Responsibility to affines Alliances (e.g., wife exchange) Communal care of children Arranged marriages by families Exchange of money (dowry/bridewealth)

Number of Spouses Monogamy: marriage to one spouse at a time “Serial monogamy” Polygamy: marriage to more than one spouse at a time Polyandry = marriage to more than one husband Example from Tibet: fraternal polyandry = marriage to more than one brother Polygyny = marriage to more than one wife

Choice of Spouses Sororate/Levirate Sororate = A practice in which a man marries the sister or female family member of his deceased wife Levirate = A practice in which a woman marries the brother or male family member of her deceased husband (Important because these continue the family connections and relationships in the event of a death.)

Economic Exchange Dowry/Bridewealth Dowry = a marital exchange practice in which the wife’s kin bestows money/gifts on the husband’s kin Bridewealth = a marital exchange practice in which the husband’s kin bestows money/gifts on the wife’s kin (Important because they tie families together economically and help prevent divorce or mistreatment, i.e. if there is a divorce, the family can ask for its money/gifts back.)

Marriage (some conclusions) Is culturally defined Builds social networks Legitimizes lineages Structures reproduction/relationships Adapts to economic and other material factors Fulfills sexual needs (?) Does “walking marriage” (the Mosuo) count? What do you think about mail-order brides (Russia)?