Chapter 4: Kinship

Question 1

bride-service

Question 2

bridewealth

Question 3

descent

Question 4

dowry

Question 5

endogamy

Question 6

kinship

Question 7

kinship systems

Question 8

marriage

Question 9

matrilineage

Question 10

patrilineage

Question 11

polygyny

Question 12

rite of passage

Question 13

Using the example of Caren Chesler and her family, explain the tension between social identity and genetic identity.

Question 14

Summarize the concepts of family structure, endogamy, inheritance, and group formation using the biblical stories of Sarah and Hagar and Rachel and Leah as examples.

Question 15

Describe Radcliffe-Brown’s approach to studying kinship and outline his contribution to anthropology.

Question 16

Explain the concept of marriage and its role within kinship systems from the perspective of “the gift” and descent.

Question 17

Outline the matrilineal form of descent amongst the tribes of North America. Explain how Europeans interpreted these kinship systems and why Morgan’s Western ideas about biological kinship were inappropriate in this context.

Question 18

Using the example of Baby Veronica, compare and contrast the genetic and social understandings of kinship and explain how cultural beliefs impact whom one identifies as kin.