Understanding Culture, Society, and Politics (copy)

Kinship

Connections formed through ancestral ties, impacting social structures in various cultures.

Biological Kinship

Refers to genetic ties among individuals, such as parents and children.

Social Kinship

Encompasses non-biological relationships formed through marriage, adoption, or other cultural customs.

Consanguineal Kinship

Relationships connected through blood.

Lineal Kins

Descendants along a direct lineage, such as grandparents, parents, and children.

Collateral Kins

Indirect relatives connected through a linking relative.

Unilineal Descent

Kinship traced through one line of ancestors.

Patrilineal Descent

Descent traced through the father's lineage.

Matrilineal Descent

Descent traced through the mother's lineage.

Bilateral Descent

Kinship traced through both parents.

Clan

A group united by actual or perceived kinship, sometimes tracing descent from a common ancestor.

Affinal Kinship

Relationships formed through legally recognized marriages.

Endogamy

Marriage within a specific clan or ethnic group.

Exogamy

Marriage outside one's clan or ethnic group.

Monogamy

Marriage to one spouse at a time.

Polygamy

Marriage involving more than one spouse.

Diplomatic Marriage

Political alliances created through marriage.

Social Kinship

Relationships formed through cultural traditions beyond biological and affinal ties.

Compadrazgo

Godparenthood, especially in the Catholic context.

Political Kinship

How familial relationships influence social and political dynamics.

Political Dynasties

Families that hold political power over generations.

Nepotism

Acquiring power based on family connections.

Conjugal Family

A nuclear arrangement consisting of a husband, wife, and children.

Matrifocal Family

A family structure comprising a mother and her children.

Patrifocal Family

A family structure formed by a father with his children.

Extended Families

Two or more nuclear families living together, potentially across generations.

Blended Families

Families formed by merging separate families.

Single-Parent Families

Families where one parent raises children.

Transnational Families

Families living in multiple countries but maintaining connections.

Functionalism

A theoretical perspective emphasizing the role of families in socializing children and regulating reproduction.

Conflict Theory

A perspective that views family structure as a contributor to social inequality.

Symbolic Interactionism

Focuses on the shared understanding within family units.

Band

The simplest political structure, typically mobile, composed of family-connected groups.

Tribe

Larger unions of kinship or non-kin groups organized around common cultural practices.

Chiefdom

A hierarchical structure headed by a chief with legitimate political power.

State

A community of people occupying a defined territory with an organized government.

Monarchy

Rule by a single, hereditary figure.

Republic

Governance by elected representatives.

Legitimacy

Acceptance of a government system as deserving recognition.

Economy

A social institution governing production, consumption, distribution, and trade.

Market

A venue where transactions between buyers and sellers occur.

Reciprocity

Exchanges driven by social relationships, varying from generalized to negative reciprocity.

Civil Society Organizations

Voluntary non-profit entities supporting democracy and good governance.