Sociology – II
UNIT – I
NOTES FOR B.A LLB STUDENTS
Topics:
a. Descent: Patrilineal and Matrilineal, Comparative study of Northern and Southern Kinship
b. Concepts: Principles of Kinship, Consanguinity, Filiations, Incest Taboo and Affinity
c. Forms of Marriage; Monogamy/Polygamy; Endogamy/Exogamy; Sororate/Levirate
d. Forms of Family: Joint and Nuclear family
Descent: Matrilineal and Patrilineal
Descent system is one of the terms related to kinship system. Descent bind people of the same
lineage together.
Types:
There are many categories of descent system. They are the Unilineal, Bilateral and Ambilineal
descent system.
The Unilineal descent system
The Unilineal descent system could either be Patrilineal or Matrilineal decent system.
Patrilineal Descent System
This descent system, also known as the “agnatic” descent system is the most common descent
system that traces an individual to the father’s side or lineage. Authority and economic survival
are vested on the men. The household in this type of society is male-headed which is also known
as the patriarchal household. Both the male and the female children belong to their father’s
lineage or kin and not the mother’s. This is why the children bear their father’s name, inherits
from their father side and have all the entitlements attached to their father’s lineage. The
residence is patrilocal, in patrilocal residency, the man with his immediate family members lives
in his father’s house. This system is found among the Yoruba and most Igbo people of Nigeria
Matrilineal Descent System
This system is also known as “uxorial” descent system. This type of descent system is not
common as the patrilineal descent system. The children are traced to their mother’s lineage. The
,means of survival is carried out mostly by the women. This system is not the direct opposite of
the patrilineal system in terms of authority. The authority is vested on the men but the economic
means of survival is by the women. The maternal uncle( brother of the mother) holds a vital role
in social responsibilities and inheritance. He is the social father and has a stronger relationship
with his sister’s children than the biological father of these children. The children pay more
respect to their social father (maternal uncle) than to their biological father. The children born
into such society inherits directly from their mother’s side, which is mostly from their maternal
uncle. Here, the king’s biological son does not inherit the kingship from his father but instead,
the king transfers his kingdom, title, and status to his sister’s son. The residence is matrilocal as
the male child marries and lives in his mother’s house or matrilineal descent. Some parts of the
Eastern Igbo in Abia state practice matrilineal descent system.
Principles of Kinship
Generation
Gender
Lineality Versus Collaterality
Consanguineal Versus Affinal Kin
Relative Age
Sex of the Connecting Relative
Social Condition
Side of the Family
Affinal Kinship:
The bond of marriage is called affinal kinship. When a person marries, he establishes
relationship not only with the girl whom he marries but also with a number of other people in the
girl’s family. Moreover, it is not only the person marrying who gets bound to the family
members of the girl but his family members also get bound to the family members of the girl.
Thus, a host of relations are created as soon as a marriage takes place. For example, after
marriage a person becomes not only a husband, but he also becomes brother-in-law and son-in-
law. Here it may be noted that in English language a number of relations created by marriage are
referred by the same term. Thus, the same term ‘brother-in-law is used for bahnoi, sala, jija and
sadahu. On marriage a person also becomes foofa, nandoi and mausa.
, Likewise a girl on marriage becomes not only a wife but also becomes daughter-in-law, she also
becomes chachi, bhabhi, devrani, jethani, mami etc. Thus, marriage creates a host of
relationships which are called affinal kin.
Consanguinity kinship:
The bond of blood is called consanguineous kinship. The consanguineous kin are related through
blood whereas the affinal kin are related through marriage. The bond between parents and their
children and that between siblings is consanguineous kinship. Siblings are the children of the
same parents.
Thus, son, brother, sister, uncle (chacha), elder uncle (taoo), nephew and cousin are
consanguineous kin. i.e., related through blood. In this connection it may be pointed out that
blood relationship may be actual as well as supposed.
Among polyandrous tribes the actual father of a child is unknown. An adopted child is treated as
if it were one’s own biologically produced child. Thus, blood relationship may be established not
only on biological basis but also on the basis of social recognition.
Filiations
Filiation can be defined as the relationship between child and his parents which is considered
equally important from the mother’s or the father’s side, irrespective of the fact whether the
lineage traced is patrilineal or matrilineal.
Filiation is essentially the bond between successive generations- a bond of compounded rights
and identifications epitomized in the rules of inheritance and succession on one hand, and of
differences and gaps symbolized in the incest taboo, and in customs of respect and avoidance.
Persons are siblings in the domestic union by virtue of common filiation and with polygynous
marriage, they are usually graded whether their common filiation is unilateral or bilateral.
Incest taboo:
A Taboo is a prohibition of any actions or expression based on some belief is too sacred or too
accursed for ordinary people to do. If people doing that they will get some punishment based on
moral judgment and religious beliefs.
Marriage – Forms
UNIT – I
NOTES FOR B.A LLB STUDENTS
Topics:
a. Descent: Patrilineal and Matrilineal, Comparative study of Northern and Southern Kinship
b. Concepts: Principles of Kinship, Consanguinity, Filiations, Incest Taboo and Affinity
c. Forms of Marriage; Monogamy/Polygamy; Endogamy/Exogamy; Sororate/Levirate
d. Forms of Family: Joint and Nuclear family
Descent: Matrilineal and Patrilineal
Descent system is one of the terms related to kinship system. Descent bind people of the same
lineage together.
Types:
There are many categories of descent system. They are the Unilineal, Bilateral and Ambilineal
descent system.
The Unilineal descent system
The Unilineal descent system could either be Patrilineal or Matrilineal decent system.
Patrilineal Descent System
This descent system, also known as the “agnatic” descent system is the most common descent
system that traces an individual to the father’s side or lineage. Authority and economic survival
are vested on the men. The household in this type of society is male-headed which is also known
as the patriarchal household. Both the male and the female children belong to their father’s
lineage or kin and not the mother’s. This is why the children bear their father’s name, inherits
from their father side and have all the entitlements attached to their father’s lineage. The
residence is patrilocal, in patrilocal residency, the man with his immediate family members lives
in his father’s house. This system is found among the Yoruba and most Igbo people of Nigeria
Matrilineal Descent System
This system is also known as “uxorial” descent system. This type of descent system is not
common as the patrilineal descent system. The children are traced to their mother’s lineage. The
,means of survival is carried out mostly by the women. This system is not the direct opposite of
the patrilineal system in terms of authority. The authority is vested on the men but the economic
means of survival is by the women. The maternal uncle( brother of the mother) holds a vital role
in social responsibilities and inheritance. He is the social father and has a stronger relationship
with his sister’s children than the biological father of these children. The children pay more
respect to their social father (maternal uncle) than to their biological father. The children born
into such society inherits directly from their mother’s side, which is mostly from their maternal
uncle. Here, the king’s biological son does not inherit the kingship from his father but instead,
the king transfers his kingdom, title, and status to his sister’s son. The residence is matrilocal as
the male child marries and lives in his mother’s house or matrilineal descent. Some parts of the
Eastern Igbo in Abia state practice matrilineal descent system.
Principles of Kinship
Generation
Gender
Lineality Versus Collaterality
Consanguineal Versus Affinal Kin
Relative Age
Sex of the Connecting Relative
Social Condition
Side of the Family
Affinal Kinship:
The bond of marriage is called affinal kinship. When a person marries, he establishes
relationship not only with the girl whom he marries but also with a number of other people in the
girl’s family. Moreover, it is not only the person marrying who gets bound to the family
members of the girl but his family members also get bound to the family members of the girl.
Thus, a host of relations are created as soon as a marriage takes place. For example, after
marriage a person becomes not only a husband, but he also becomes brother-in-law and son-in-
law. Here it may be noted that in English language a number of relations created by marriage are
referred by the same term. Thus, the same term ‘brother-in-law is used for bahnoi, sala, jija and
sadahu. On marriage a person also becomes foofa, nandoi and mausa.
, Likewise a girl on marriage becomes not only a wife but also becomes daughter-in-law, she also
becomes chachi, bhabhi, devrani, jethani, mami etc. Thus, marriage creates a host of
relationships which are called affinal kin.
Consanguinity kinship:
The bond of blood is called consanguineous kinship. The consanguineous kin are related through
blood whereas the affinal kin are related through marriage. The bond between parents and their
children and that between siblings is consanguineous kinship. Siblings are the children of the
same parents.
Thus, son, brother, sister, uncle (chacha), elder uncle (taoo), nephew and cousin are
consanguineous kin. i.e., related through blood. In this connection it may be pointed out that
blood relationship may be actual as well as supposed.
Among polyandrous tribes the actual father of a child is unknown. An adopted child is treated as
if it were one’s own biologically produced child. Thus, blood relationship may be established not
only on biological basis but also on the basis of social recognition.
Filiations
Filiation can be defined as the relationship between child and his parents which is considered
equally important from the mother’s or the father’s side, irrespective of the fact whether the
lineage traced is patrilineal or matrilineal.
Filiation is essentially the bond between successive generations- a bond of compounded rights
and identifications epitomized in the rules of inheritance and succession on one hand, and of
differences and gaps symbolized in the incest taboo, and in customs of respect and avoidance.
Persons are siblings in the domestic union by virtue of common filiation and with polygynous
marriage, they are usually graded whether their common filiation is unilateral or bilateral.
Incest taboo:
A Taboo is a prohibition of any actions or expression based on some belief is too sacred or too
accursed for ordinary people to do. If people doing that they will get some punishment based on
moral judgment and religious beliefs.
Marriage – Forms
