Notes: Kinship, Descent, Marriage | Sociology Mains Optional for UPSC 2024 PDF Download

 Page 1


 
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Sleepy Classes 
Unit 9 
Lecture – 1 
Kinship: Ties that are socially recognised. Majorly originating from Biological 
relationships.  
Relationship Chart: 
        Direct     Shared  
 
Sexuality (Mates)  Ties of Affinity 
    (conjugal)  
   
  
Genes (Descent)   Ties of  
   Consanguine 
 
 
 
 
(Primary Lineals ? Father – son  
Secondary Lineals ? Grandfather – Grandson 
Tertiary ? Great – Great )  
 
- Social recognition is more important than biological fact.  
- Even when biological fact is absent, social relation can exist (adopted kids)  
- Also, biological fact present but not recognised socially (illegitimate child)  
- Biological line could be not recognised as a rule/system (Unlineal descent)  
 
Unlineal Descent – Only one line recognised.  
1. Male line – Patrilined Descent  
2. Female line – Matrilineal Descent (Nayars, kerda)  
 
  
 
 
Spouses  
 
 
Co - spouses 
 
 
Lineals 
(Generations 
vertical)  
 
 
Collaterals 
Filial/Horizontal  
Page 2


 
www.YouTube.com/SleepyClasses 
https://testseries.sleepyclasses.com/ 
Sleepy Classes 
Unit 9 
Lecture – 1 
Kinship: Ties that are socially recognised. Majorly originating from Biological 
relationships.  
Relationship Chart: 
        Direct     Shared  
 
Sexuality (Mates)  Ties of Affinity 
    (conjugal)  
   
  
Genes (Descent)   Ties of  
   Consanguine 
 
 
 
 
(Primary Lineals ? Father – son  
Secondary Lineals ? Grandfather – Grandson 
Tertiary ? Great – Great )  
 
- Social recognition is more important than biological fact.  
- Even when biological fact is absent, social relation can exist (adopted kids)  
- Also, biological fact present but not recognised socially (illegitimate child)  
- Biological line could be not recognised as a rule/system (Unlineal descent)  
 
Unlineal Descent – Only one line recognised.  
1. Male line – Patrilined Descent  
2. Female line – Matrilineal Descent (Nayars, kerda)  
 
  
 
 
Spouses  
 
 
Co - spouses 
 
 
Lineals 
(Generations 
vertical)  
 
 
Collaterals 
Filial/Horizontal  
 
www.YouTube.com/SleepyClasses 
https://testseries.sleepyclasses.com/ 
Sleepy Classes 
(Q. Why Patrilineal descent more prevalent than matrilineal) 
 
Robin Fox, Anthropologist:  
4 conditions every kingroup has to fulfil to survive  
1. Men are needed to impregnate women  
2. Women are needed to bear & rear children 
3. Enough men for food & properly mgmt. when women are pregnant  
4. Incest to be avoided  
 
Patrilineal system: Easy system -  
- Own Group’s women sent out, other group’s women received for mating.  
- Other group’s women are kept inferior so as not to harm group unity.  
 
Patriliny & Patriarchy went hand in hand.  
 
Matrilineal System: 
- Own group’s male sent out, other’s received.  
- Assumption that, other group’s men will have lesser unity (i.e., affinal men less 
united compared to consanguine men), system will run into problems during child 
bearing & rearing by women. 
- This is also called Matrilineal Puzzle, i.e. how these groups survive, various ways: 
o Nayars : - visiting husbands, not even social father’s  
o Mother’s brother acquired an important role.  
 
 
NOW (Present Context) -  
 
Conditions are changing:  
1. Birth Control  
2. Lesser number of children  
3. Muscular energy not needed anymore to get food 
4. Rise of technology helping women, men equally in work  
 
Changing structure of kinship 
 
Now, both sides are recognised: 
- Equally & Symmetrically 
- Giving rise to Bilateral Descent  
 
Page 3


 
www.YouTube.com/SleepyClasses 
https://testseries.sleepyclasses.com/ 
Sleepy Classes 
Unit 9 
Lecture – 1 
Kinship: Ties that are socially recognised. Majorly originating from Biological 
relationships.  
Relationship Chart: 
        Direct     Shared  
 
Sexuality (Mates)  Ties of Affinity 
    (conjugal)  
   
  
Genes (Descent)   Ties of  
   Consanguine 
 
 
 
 
(Primary Lineals ? Father – son  
Secondary Lineals ? Grandfather – Grandson 
Tertiary ? Great – Great )  
 
- Social recognition is more important than biological fact.  
- Even when biological fact is absent, social relation can exist (adopted kids)  
- Also, biological fact present but not recognised socially (illegitimate child)  
- Biological line could be not recognised as a rule/system (Unlineal descent)  
 
Unlineal Descent – Only one line recognised.  
1. Male line – Patrilined Descent  
2. Female line – Matrilineal Descent (Nayars, kerda)  
 
  
 
 
Spouses  
 
 
Co - spouses 
 
 
Lineals 
(Generations 
vertical)  
 
 
Collaterals 
Filial/Horizontal  
 
www.YouTube.com/SleepyClasses 
https://testseries.sleepyclasses.com/ 
Sleepy Classes 
(Q. Why Patrilineal descent more prevalent than matrilineal) 
 
Robin Fox, Anthropologist:  
4 conditions every kingroup has to fulfil to survive  
1. Men are needed to impregnate women  
2. Women are needed to bear & rear children 
3. Enough men for food & properly mgmt. when women are pregnant  
4. Incest to be avoided  
 
Patrilineal system: Easy system -  
- Own Group’s women sent out, other group’s women received for mating.  
- Other group’s women are kept inferior so as not to harm group unity.  
 
Patriliny & Patriarchy went hand in hand.  
 
Matrilineal System: 
- Own group’s male sent out, other’s received.  
- Assumption that, other group’s men will have lesser unity (i.e., affinal men less 
united compared to consanguine men), system will run into problems during child 
bearing & rearing by women. 
- This is also called Matrilineal Puzzle, i.e. how these groups survive, various ways: 
o Nayars : - visiting husbands, not even social father’s  
o Mother’s brother acquired an important role.  
 
 
NOW (Present Context) -  
 
Conditions are changing:  
1. Birth Control  
2. Lesser number of children  
3. Muscular energy not needed anymore to get food 
4. Rise of technology helping women, men equally in work  
 
Changing structure of kinship 
 
Now, both sides are recognised: 
- Equally & Symmetrically 
- Giving rise to Bilateral Descent  
 
 
www.YouTube.com/SleepyClasses 
https://testseries.sleepyclasses.com/ 
Sleepy Classes 
  
Page 4


 
www.YouTube.com/SleepyClasses 
https://testseries.sleepyclasses.com/ 
Sleepy Classes 
Unit 9 
Lecture – 1 
Kinship: Ties that are socially recognised. Majorly originating from Biological 
relationships.  
Relationship Chart: 
        Direct     Shared  
 
Sexuality (Mates)  Ties of Affinity 
    (conjugal)  
   
  
Genes (Descent)   Ties of  
   Consanguine 
 
 
 
 
(Primary Lineals ? Father – son  
Secondary Lineals ? Grandfather – Grandson 
Tertiary ? Great – Great )  
 
- Social recognition is more important than biological fact.  
- Even when biological fact is absent, social relation can exist (adopted kids)  
- Also, biological fact present but not recognised socially (illegitimate child)  
- Biological line could be not recognised as a rule/system (Unlineal descent)  
 
Unlineal Descent – Only one line recognised.  
1. Male line – Patrilined Descent  
2. Female line – Matrilineal Descent (Nayars, kerda)  
 
  
 
 
Spouses  
 
 
Co - spouses 
 
 
Lineals 
(Generations 
vertical)  
 
 
Collaterals 
Filial/Horizontal  
 
www.YouTube.com/SleepyClasses 
https://testseries.sleepyclasses.com/ 
Sleepy Classes 
(Q. Why Patrilineal descent more prevalent than matrilineal) 
 
Robin Fox, Anthropologist:  
4 conditions every kingroup has to fulfil to survive  
1. Men are needed to impregnate women  
2. Women are needed to bear & rear children 
3. Enough men for food & properly mgmt. when women are pregnant  
4. Incest to be avoided  
 
Patrilineal system: Easy system -  
- Own Group’s women sent out, other group’s women received for mating.  
- Other group’s women are kept inferior so as not to harm group unity.  
 
Patriliny & Patriarchy went hand in hand.  
 
Matrilineal System: 
- Own group’s male sent out, other’s received.  
- Assumption that, other group’s men will have lesser unity (i.e., affinal men less 
united compared to consanguine men), system will run into problems during child 
bearing & rearing by women. 
- This is also called Matrilineal Puzzle, i.e. how these groups survive, various ways: 
o Nayars : - visiting husbands, not even social father’s  
o Mother’s brother acquired an important role.  
 
 
NOW (Present Context) -  
 
Conditions are changing:  
1. Birth Control  
2. Lesser number of children  
3. Muscular energy not needed anymore to get food 
4. Rise of technology helping women, men equally in work  
 
Changing structure of kinship 
 
Now, both sides are recognised: 
- Equally & Symmetrically 
- Giving rise to Bilateral Descent  
 
 
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https://testseries.sleepyclasses.com/ 
Sleepy Classes 
  
 
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Sleepy Classes 
Bilateral Descent : Both lines getting recognised equally & symmetrically 
 
Other types:  
1) Double Unilineal Descent: Both sides recognised but unequally & asymmetrically. 
One line – Movable Property. Other line – Immovable Property (Yako of Nigeria)  
2) Ambilineal Descent : Choose any line. Choice of individual (Samoa, Margret Mead 
studied)  
3) Parallel Descent: Sons inherit from father, Daughter inherit from Mother. (Saha 
Tribe)  
 
 
 
  
Page 5


 
www.YouTube.com/SleepyClasses 
https://testseries.sleepyclasses.com/ 
Sleepy Classes 
Unit 9 
Lecture – 1 
Kinship: Ties that are socially recognised. Majorly originating from Biological 
relationships.  
Relationship Chart: 
        Direct     Shared  
 
Sexuality (Mates)  Ties of Affinity 
    (conjugal)  
   
  
Genes (Descent)   Ties of  
   Consanguine 
 
 
 
 
(Primary Lineals ? Father – son  
Secondary Lineals ? Grandfather – Grandson 
Tertiary ? Great – Great )  
 
- Social recognition is more important than biological fact.  
- Even when biological fact is absent, social relation can exist (adopted kids)  
- Also, biological fact present but not recognised socially (illegitimate child)  
- Biological line could be not recognised as a rule/system (Unlineal descent)  
 
Unlineal Descent – Only one line recognised.  
1. Male line – Patrilined Descent  
2. Female line – Matrilineal Descent (Nayars, kerda)  
 
  
 
 
Spouses  
 
 
Co - spouses 
 
 
Lineals 
(Generations 
vertical)  
 
 
Collaterals 
Filial/Horizontal  
 
www.YouTube.com/SleepyClasses 
https://testseries.sleepyclasses.com/ 
Sleepy Classes 
(Q. Why Patrilineal descent more prevalent than matrilineal) 
 
Robin Fox, Anthropologist:  
4 conditions every kingroup has to fulfil to survive  
1. Men are needed to impregnate women  
2. Women are needed to bear & rear children 
3. Enough men for food & properly mgmt. when women are pregnant  
4. Incest to be avoided  
 
Patrilineal system: Easy system -  
- Own Group’s women sent out, other group’s women received for mating.  
- Other group’s women are kept inferior so as not to harm group unity.  
 
Patriliny & Patriarchy went hand in hand.  
 
Matrilineal System: 
- Own group’s male sent out, other’s received.  
- Assumption that, other group’s men will have lesser unity (i.e., affinal men less 
united compared to consanguine men), system will run into problems during child 
bearing & rearing by women. 
- This is also called Matrilineal Puzzle, i.e. how these groups survive, various ways: 
o Nayars : - visiting husbands, not even social father’s  
o Mother’s brother acquired an important role.  
 
 
NOW (Present Context) -  
 
Conditions are changing:  
1. Birth Control  
2. Lesser number of children  
3. Muscular energy not needed anymore to get food 
4. Rise of technology helping women, men equally in work  
 
Changing structure of kinship 
 
Now, both sides are recognised: 
- Equally & Symmetrically 
- Giving rise to Bilateral Descent  
 
 
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https://testseries.sleepyclasses.com/ 
Sleepy Classes 
  
 
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https://testseries.sleepyclasses.com/ 
Sleepy Classes 
Bilateral Descent : Both lines getting recognised equally & symmetrically 
 
Other types:  
1) Double Unilineal Descent: Both sides recognised but unequally & asymmetrically. 
One line – Movable Property. Other line – Immovable Property (Yako of Nigeria)  
2) Ambilineal Descent : Choose any line. Choice of individual (Samoa, Margret Mead 
studied)  
3) Parallel Descent: Sons inherit from father, Daughter inherit from Mother. (Saha 
Tribe)  
 
 
 
  
 
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Descent Groups  
Agnates: Kins connected from father’s side 
Uterines: Kins connected from mother’s side  
 
Patrilineal Descent groups – Consist of Agnates  
Matrilineal Descent groups – Consist of Uterines   
 
Groups formed on the basis of Unilineal Descent (Patri or Matri) : 
 
Clans:  
- Subdivided into smaller groups called Lineages  
- These are Unilineal descent groups  
 
 
Groups formed on the basis of Bilateral Descent:   
 
Kindered: Kins from both father’s, mother’s sides  
- Clans & Lineages are exogamous in nature.  
 
Because: Clan – Descent from a common ancestor (Survivorships Yaduvanshi, etc)  
 
Lineage – Descended from a real ancestor  
- Relation depends upon which ancestor is chosen.  
(Helps in determining claim over immovable property. Also, subcastes, if any)