anthro 2a

diversity of terms (categories of kin)

mom, dad, aunt, uncle, brother sister

diversity in underlying logic of kinship ties

mother != madre != chitnag

enduring diffuse solidarity

special relationships with people that goes beyond friendship ex. financial help

kin terms

words in a certain language that people use to identify their categories of kin "mother"

biological kin types

description of actual genealogical relationships

F M S D B Z C H W

nuclear family

immediate family

extended family

expanded family (uncles, cousins, grandparents)

bilateral descent

all family members inherit equally from both mother and father

unilineal descent

descent is only phased through one side (male or female, mother/father)

patrilineage

common identity through father

matrilineage

common identity through mother

kindred

all blood relatives of an individual (on both sides)

lineage

a unilineal descent group larger than an extended family whose members can actually trace how they are related

clan

group of people who believe themselves to be related to a common ancestor in a unilineal manner but CANNOT demonstrate the links

patriclan

a clan tracing descent through the male line

matriclan

a clan tracing descent through the female line

corporate groups

collectively holds, manages, controls, resources such as land. Lineages are often corporate groups, not kindreds since they don't persist through time (ends with Ego's death)

genitor

biological father

pater

performs duties of a father

functions of marriage - descent

"who will inherit the throne" provides rights for children

functions of marriage - alliance

marriage = new set of relatives

affines

in-laws

incest taboo

prohibition on sex (not marriage) between certain people who are related

monogamy

practice of being married to one spouse

polygamy

practice of being married to more than one spouse at one time

polygyny

more than one WIFE at a time

polyandry

more than one HUSBAND at a time

himalayan agriculturist and polyandry

limited availability of land and inheritance

land tenure

inheritance of land

primogeniture

oldest son inherits everything

exogamy

practice of marrying someone outside of your group

endogamy

practice of marrying someone within your group

caste system of anyone

brahmin, kshatriya, vaishya, shudra, untouchables

patrilocal residence

married couple lives with husband's people

matrilocal residence

married couple lives with wife's people

neolocal residence

newly-weds find independent household elsewhere

bride wealth

a transfer of wealth from the groom's group to the wife's group

dowry

a transfer of wealth from the wife's group to the groom's group

bride service

husband lives with bride's people and works for them

marriage exchange

wife gives to husband, husband gives to wife(s)

matrilateral biological kin types

any bio kin type that starts with M

patrilateral biological kin types

any bio kin type that starts with F

parallel cousin

children of same sex siblings (Father's brother)

cross cousin

children of opposite sexed siblings (Father's sister)

ascending generation

generations of ancestors above the ego (grandparents)

descending generation

generations of descendants below the ego (grandchildren)

ego's own generation

generation on the same line as Ego

band

usually kin-based

dyadic

tribe

sociopolitical organization based on farming or herding

no means of enforcing political decisions

chiefdom

single entity under authority of a chief

kin based with differential access to resources and a permanent political structure

state

independent, centrally organized political unit, a government

4th world peoples

people with ethnic cultural situation that has a state situation forced on them

Masai Age Grades

stage in the Masai "life cycle"

Masai Age Sets

cohort of similarly aged individuals that pass through age grades together, as a group

stratification

dividing societies into ranked groups of collectivities of people

different access to prestige/power

egalitarianism

a belief in the equality of all people

ascribed status

inherited (ex. royalty)

achieved status

worked toward status (presidential authority)

role

duties associated with a particular status

status set

duties associated with a particular status

authority

a legitimate right to tell people what to do

class

position within overall division of labor

mode of production

the dominant way of making a living in a culture

means of production

facilities and resources for producing goods

headman

achieved status

personal attributes: reputation and having skills

bigman

achieved status

personal attributes: ability to persuade and influence people

Moka in New Guinea Highlands

competitive feasting and gifting

• show superiority with gifts

• bigman organizes this

• oversees alliances with other villages

chief

ascribed status

influence is independent of personal attributes

authority invested in the office of the chief

authority over fellow kinsmen

political leaders in states

diversity: can be either ascribed (monarchy) or achieved (democracy) groups

• authority

• territory

authority and mobilization of labor

Bigman: constantly gives to create personal relationships

-creates small mobilization groups because of the effort it takes

chief: kinship links

-mobilize more people because of given authority

state: extends over territory

holism

any practice has to be understood in its whole context

ethnographic fieldwork

qualitative research

going through the same thing you are researching (ex. living with and studying Trobriand Islanders)

wealth and political relations

giving away wealth, leaders accumulate power

-creates alliances

-causes debt by giving gift in excess