Kin Relations Differ And Change With Socio Economic And Cultural Contexts
WOMEN’S UNVERSITY IN AFRICA
NAME KUDANGA GILBERT
REG NU. W150014
DEG PROG BSc HONOURS
DEGREE IN SOCIOLOGY AND GENDER DEVELOPMENT STUDIES (ODL progamme)
INTAKE 17
LECTURER Mr W Masunda
COURSE Cultural Antropology 1
ASSN QNT Kin relations differ and change with socio-economic and cultural contexts. Discuss with illustrative examples.
DUE DATE 10-04-15
Changes over the last 30 years in patterns of family formation and dissolution have given rise to questions about the definition of kin relations (Schneider, D. 1980). They are traditionally defined s ties based on blood and marriage. They include lineal generational bonds (children, parents, grandparents and great grandparents), collateral bonds (siblings, cousins, aunts and uncles) and ties with the in-laws. In most society’s kin relations is a system of interdependent relations, where family integrity requires cooperative interconnectedness. However it is commonly assumed, for example, that the interconnected interdependent family/human orientations are not compatible with socio-economic development. Kinship is the web of social relationships that form an important part of the lives of most humans in most societies. In some cultures, kinship relationships may be considered to extend out to people an individual has economic or political relationships with, or other forms of social connections. Within a culture, some descent groups may be considered to lead back to gods or animal ancestors’ totems.It’s no longer about blood and marriage when looking at the cases of adoption, births resulting from infertility treatments, broken and reconstituted families. This gives a clear picture that kin relations are always changing and differ with socio-economic -and cultural context.
Different societies classify kin relations differently and therefore use different systems of kinship. In the eastern parts of Zimbabwe especially in Manicaland people can be related simply because they share
NAME KUDANGA GILBERT
REG NU. W150014
DEG PROG BSc HONOURS
DEGREE IN SOCIOLOGY AND GENDER DEVELOPMENT STUDIES (ODL progamme)
INTAKE 17
LECTURER Mr W Masunda
COURSE Cultural Antropology 1
ASSN QNT Kin relations differ and change with socio-economic and cultural contexts. Discuss with illustrative examples.
DUE DATE 10-04-15
Changes over the last 30 years in patterns of family formation and dissolution have given rise to questions about the definition of kin relations (Schneider, D. 1980). They are traditionally defined s ties based on blood and marriage. They include lineal generational bonds (children, parents, grandparents and great grandparents), collateral bonds (siblings, cousins, aunts and uncles) and ties with the in-laws. In most society’s kin relations is a system of interdependent relations, where family integrity requires cooperative interconnectedness. However it is commonly assumed, for example, that the interconnected interdependent family/human orientations are not compatible with socio-economic development. Kinship is the web of social relationships that form an important part of the lives of most humans in most societies. In some cultures, kinship relationships may be considered to extend out to people an individual has economic or political relationships with, or other forms of social connections. Within a culture, some descent groups may be considered to lead back to gods or animal ancestors’ totems.It’s no longer about blood and marriage when looking at the cases of adoption, births resulting from infertility treatments, broken and reconstituted families. This gives a clear picture that kin relations are always changing and differ with socio-economic -and cultural context.
Different societies classify kin relations differently and therefore use different systems of kinship. In the eastern parts of Zimbabwe especially in Manicaland people can be related simply because they share