Kinship

• Kinship


  A social institution that refers to relations formed between members of society. It explains the nature and reason for the formation of the different types of bonds that exist within society.
• Types of Kinship


  • Kinship by Blood
  • Kinship by Marriage
  • Kinship by Rituals
• Consanguineal kinship


  Kinship based on blood, considered the most basic and general form of relations. The relationship is achieved by birth or blood affinity.
• Descent


  A biological relationship. Societies recognize that children descend from parents and that there exists a biological relationship between parents and their offspring.
• Lineage


  The line where one's descent is traced. An individual's descent can be traced by studying either the person's paternal or maternal line.
• Forms of descent


  • Patrilineal
  • Matrilineal
  • Bilateral
• Affinal kinship


  Kinship based on marriage, refers to the type of relations developed when a marriage occurs. When a marriage takes place, new forms of social relations are developed.
• Marriage customs


  • Endogamy
  • Exogamy
  • Monogamy
  • Polygamy
  • Polygyny
  • Polyandry
• Post-Marital Residence Rules


  • Neolocal Residence
  • Patrilocal Residence
  • Matrilocal Residence
  • Matrifocal Residence
  • Avunculocal Residence
  • Ambilocal Residence
  • Natalocal Residence
• Compadrazgo


  A ritualized form of forging co-parenthood or family. Through the compadrazgo set-up, a relationship between the child's biological parents, their children, and persons close to the parents but not related by blood become a family.
• Types of Families


  • Nuclear family
  • Extended family
  • Blended family
• Types of Households


  • Nuclear Household
  • Extended Household
  • Reconstituted Families
  • Matrifocal Residence
  • Transnational Families
• Political Systems


  • Bands
  • Tribes
  • Chiefdom
  • Simple chiefdom
  • Complex chiefdom
  • Nation
• Legitimacy

  A moral and ethical concept that bestows one who possesses power the right to exercise such power since such is perceived to be justified and proper
• Authority


  The power to make binding decisions and issue commands. It is necessary for a leader to possess authority.
• Types of Authority


  • Traditional authority
  • Charismatic authority
  • Rational-legal or bureaucratic authority
• Traditional authority


  • Legitimacy is derived from well-established customs, habits, and social structures
  • Does not change over time, does not facilitate social change, tends to be irrational and inconsistent, and perpetuates the status quo
  • Typically embodied in feudalism or patrimonialism
• Charismatic authority


  • Legitimacy emanates from the charisma of the individual, which for some can be seen as a 'gift of grace' or the possession of 'gravitas' or authority derived from a higher power
  • Arises from the leader's personal characteristics
  • Examples: Jesus Christ, Mahatma Gandhi, Joan of Arc, Nelson Mandela
• Rational-legal or bureaucratic authority


  • Authority draws its legitimacy from formal rules promulgated by the state through its fundamental and implementing laws
  • Power resides on the legally enacted rules and regulations which are inherent in the offices rather than in the officials of government
  • Frequently found in the modern state, city governments, private and public corporations, and various voluntary associations