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Sociology of Kinship Sukanya Das, Lovely Professional University

Notes Unit 4: Approaches to the Study of Kinship:
Historical and Evolutionary

CONTENTS
Objectives
Introduction
4.1 Historical Approaches
4.2 Evolutionary Approaches

4.3 Summary
4.4 Keywords
4.5 Review Questions

4.6 Further Readings

Objectives
After studying this unit, students will be able to:
• Know the historical approaches to the study of kinship.
• Know the Evolutionary approaches to the study of kinship.

Introduction
There is no limit to the use of approaches. Approach can be used in any subject according to the
context. Approach is just a way to understand the context. One approach can be used for study
and creation of theory in biology, anthropology, sociology according to the context. Similarly
struggle approach is used to understand living being in biology and social system in sociology.
Hence different scientists use similar or same approach to study, analyze and to make theories
according to context.

4.1 Historical Approaches
History is not only the study of ‘what happened or existed’ but also to know ‘how and why’
it happened. We can understand the continuity and normal flow of social life by studying his-
tory of chronological social, culural and political events of a society. Today it is believed that no
event occurs all of a sudden but it has same past and history, and without understanding it the
complete analysis of any event or incident is impossible.
Because of this reason the use of historical method in sociology has increased and many sociolo-
gists have used this method for the study of societies, social groups and organisations. Historical
method is the only way to understand the origin and evolution of the society. The use of histori-
cal method in sociology is prevalent since 19th century.

22 LOVELY PROFESSIONAL UNIVERSITY