Kinship Systems and Family Dynamics

A Family Tree

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

Propositions: Ancient Society The family is the residential or living group, i.e., the household, and for most people, the economic unit. The family runs a plantation, farm, workshop, or business enterprise. Political leadership is organized into family-like groups, lineages, of kings and queens, large households with slaves and other workers (the free members sometimes with their own subfamilies).

Propositions, cont. Marriage and child rearing are understood in terms of the larger family functions, social, economic, and political. Generally, people need association with a ‘family’ to have an economically viable place in society. People are a key economic resource, and orderly relationships among households are key to a stable society.

Propositions, cont. Rulers define and enforce the regulation of marriage and sexual infractions. The rules are asymmetric by gender because of the underlying assumption of patriarchal relationships.

If you need a dictionary for Terms 1. UWM Library: erence.html erence.html

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?

How are problems resolved? 1. Adultery: violation of a man’s honor 2. Fornication: illicit sexual relations with an unmarried woman 3. Death of one partner: Remarriage or Widowhood?

Examples of Solutions, Deut. 22: Adultery: “If a man be found lying with a woman married to an husband, they they shall both of them die, both the man that lay with the woman, and the woman, so shalt thou put away evil from Israel.” If betrothed, the punishment for the woman depends on the location of the crime.

Examples…Deut 22 Fornication: “If a man find a damsel that is a virgin, which is not betrothed, and lay hold of her, and lie with her, and they be found; Then the man that lay with her shall give under the damsel’s father fifty shekels of silver and she shall be his wife; because he hath humbled her, he may not put her away all his days.”

Widowhood For a widow in ancient Israel: –Levirate: the custom of marriage by a man with his brother's widow, such marriage required in Biblical law if the deceased was childless. Deut. 25:5–10.

Veiling: Middle Assyrian Law How women are identified in terms of respectability, marriage and marriageability –1. Who must be veiled: a married woman, a legitimate unmarried daughter, a concubine with her mistress –2. Who must not be veiled: a slave, concubine alone, sacred prostitute