Page 24 - DSOC402_SOCIOLOGY_OF_KINSHIP_ENGLISH

Sociology of Kinship

Notes 2. Relations between husband-wife and both parties, which are called affinal relations.
we will discuss them here in brief—
(i) Consanguineous Relations: Consanguineous relation is one of the social relations which emerge
due to reproduction, like relations between parents and children. Children acquire genes from
parents and it is believed that they have same blood. Similarly brother-sister are blood relatives.

Parents, brother-sisters, grandparents, uncles, aunties, etc., are blood relatives
but zoological relation if not necessary betwen blood relatives.

If these relations are accepted by the society then they are considered to be actual relations. So
the social acceptance if more important then zoological facts. We will find several examples of
this in different societies. Among inhabitants of Trobriyenda island of Malaysia, real father is
unknown at times but the man will be considered as father who will marry the girl. The custom
of adoption is an universal example of this. Adopted person is treated in such manner as he is a
biological child. If real blood relation is the only basis of such relations then why we call persons
as father or mother who are of the age of our parents. Some people give more importance to the
rights and duties done by the relatives then biological relations.
In some parts of Malaysia, child’s parents families are not determines by birth but some other
social activities. In some Islands, the man who pays the price of parturition to the woman, who
has given birth becomes father and his wife become mother of the child.
In another Island, a man who transplants the leaf of Sycus tree on his door becomes father.
Hence, it is clear that paternity and maternity is not completely depend on physical activities of
parturition, but a social customs. So the social acceptane is more important than biological facts.
(ii) Affinal Relations: In reproduction based kniship there is affinal relation also which is estab-
lished between two persons of opposite sex with the consent of society. Not only husband-wife
but relatives of both families are also affinal relatives, like father, mother, sisters and broth-
ers-in-laws, etc. These relations are relevant only in the reference of two persons; like mother-
daughter-in-law, father-daughter-in-law, husband-wife, brother-sister-in-law, etc. Marriage is
the basis of these relations and not blood.

3.2 Categories of Kinship
We do not keep similar contact or closeness with each kin. Some are close to us and some are
distant. We can divide our kins in different category on the basis of this contact and closeness,
like primary, secondary tertiary etc.
Mardock has done intense study of kinship.
Primary Relatives: Persons who are directly related to us and no other relative is lined in between.
There can be eight types of primary relatives in which seven are blood relatives and one is
affinal relative. Father-son, daughter, mother-sister, sister-sister all of these are consanguineous
relative. Husband-wife’s relation is based on marriage.
Secondary Relatives: These who are primary relation of primary relatives are secondary rela-
tives. For example a person’s grandfather is his secondary relative because grandfather is re-
lated to his grandson through father and father’s father are primary relatives.
Other examples of consanguineous secondary relatives are, cousin uncle, maternal uncle, grand-
parents etc.
We can include father-mother-in-law, brother-in-law, sister-in-law in affinal secondary relatives.
Mardock has mentioned 33 types of secondary relations.

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