Page 65 - DSOC402_SOCIOLOGY_OF_KINSHIP_ENGLISH

Unit 9: Kinship as an Organising Principle: Descent-Patrilineal, Matrilineal...

2. When the Descent is determined by both the father’s and the mother’s lineage, it is called Notes
____________.
3. The relation of children belonging to one family like, brother-brother, brother-sister, etc., in
kinship system is known as ________________.

Functions of Descent

In most of the early and the industrial societies of the past, Descent was views as important not
because it extends kinship but because it helps in determining how the various aspects of social
life can be organised with the other aspects. Fortes and Brown are of the view that position and
property inheritance are determined on the basis of Descent. Descent also determines which kin
to include during times of need like attach, security, religious rituals, funeral, incest, residence,
etc. To know the political, legal, external and internal aspect, it is important to know Descent. It’s
on the basis of Descent, that a woman’s reproduction power and sexual rights are regularised.
Determining the social activities of an individual, the use of the kinship terminology and rules
too, include descent. The children to be born in future are also linked to one group, on this basis
only.
Fortes says Descent decides an individual’s relation and classificatioin. It regularises his social
life. As Descent chooses a husband or a wife in a Cross Cousin Mariage, so does Descent and
Patrilineage determine an individual’s social role, position, rights and duties. Bohnan says that
the Descent group inculcates, kinship moratlity in its members. It regulates legal Descent, con-
trols marriage and promotes mutual support in society. It determines many important aspects
like politics and government and structures positions. This automatically proves the importance
of Descent.

9.2 Summary
• According to Rivers, “Descent means that group, the membership of which is by birth,
where people can decide whether they are from the mother’s or the father’s lineage.
• In various societies, different forms of Descent are prevalent, which are mostly related to
three kinds of lineage : (i) Patrilinear, (ii) Matrilinear, (iii) Bilateral.
• Position and property inheritance are determined on the basis of Descent.
• The use of Kinship terminology and rules are also determined on the basis of Descent.

9.3 Keywords
1. Alternate Descent: When the daughters get the membership of their father’s Descent and
the sons get the membership of their mother’s Decent, then it is called Alternate Descent.
Such a system is rarely found.
2. Descent: Descent means that group, whose membership is by birth.

9.4 Review Questions
1. What does Descent mean?
2. State the methods of determining Descent?
3. What are the roles of Descent?

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