Page 4 - DSOC402_SOCIOLOGY_OF_KINSHIP_ENGLISH

SYLLABUS

Sociology of Kinship

objectives
• To demonstrate to the students the social importance of kinship ties and familiarise her/him with the rich diversity in
the types of networks of relationships created by genealogical links of marriage and other social ties.
• To show to the students how the study of kinship systems in different ethnographic settings can facilitate a
comparative understanding of societies and social institutions.
• To expose the students to the different approaches, issues and debates in studies of kinship, marriage and family.

Sr. No. Content

1 Sociology of Kinship: Nature and significance of the subject

2 Basic terms and concepts: Lineage, clan, phratry, moiety, kingroup, kindred,
incest, descent, Inheritance, succession, consanguinity and affinity.

3 Approaches to the study of kinship: historical and evolutionary, Structural

functional, Cultural, gender perspective

4 Kinship terminology, Kinship as an organizing principle: descent- patrilineal,

matrilineal, double and cognatic descent
5 Kinship as an organising principle: descent groups, corporate groups and local

groups, Changes in Land and Lineage Structure.

6 Concept, forms, significance, Monogamy and polygamy, Mate selection in India
and the West, Bride-wealth and Dowry

7 Changing trends in marriage, Divorce, widowhood and remarriage, Rules of
residence: virilocal, uxorilocal, neolocal and natolocal residence, The

genealogical method

8 Family & Household, Definition of Family, nature of family, Forms and

functions of family, Development Cycle of family in India.

9 Joint Family: Forms and functions, Impact of Industrialization, Urbanization and
Modernization on Joint Family, Future of Family: Emerging alternatives-

Singlehood, cohabitation, Female headed households

10 Family Problems: Violence in families, Desertion & Divorce, Dowry death &
Bride Burning, Family and marriage in India: Regional diversities, Forces of
change, family in the context of care of the child and the aged. Demographic

dimensions of family and marriage