Question

Define kinship and discuss its categories.

Hint:

Understanding kinship helps analyze family structures, inheritance patterns, and social organization in various cultures.

Answer 1

Kinship is the social relationship based on blood, marriage, or adoption that binds individuals into families and social groups. Kinship is a fundamental concept in anthropology and sociology that defines social relationships among individuals.
1. Definition:
Kinship refers to the connections between individuals established by blood (consanguineal), marriage (affinal), or adoption.
2. Categories of Kinship:
Consanguineal Kinship:
Relationships based on blood ties, such as between parents and children.

Affinal Kinship:
Relationships established through marriage, such as between a husband and wife.

Fictive Kinship:
Social ties that are not based on blood or marriage but are treated as kin, such as godparents.