Question
Kani is tracing her family tree, and includes only her parents, grandparents, and children – those only directly related to her by descent. She excludes her siblings and cousins. In kinship terminology, what kind of kin is she focusing on?
The correct answer is
Lineal descent
Lineal Descent Kinship Focus
The question describes Kani tracing her family tree by including only direct ancestors (parents, grandparents) and direct descendants (children). She explicitly excludes relatives like siblings and cousins, who are considered collateral kin.
Kin Types Explained
- Lineal Descent: This type of kinship focuses exclusively on the direct line of descent, either forwards (ancestors) or backwards (descendants). Kani's selection of parents, grandparents, and children fits this definition perfectly, as she is tracing her direct lineage.
- Unilateral Descent: This involves tracing lineage through only one parent's side (either male or female line). Kani's inclusion of both parents and grandparents indicates she is not limited to one side.
- Double Descent: This system recognizes kinship through both parents but often assigns different social positions or inheritance rights based on each line. Kani's focus is simpler, concentrating only on the direct line itself.
- Affinal Descent: This refers to kinship ties formed through marriage (e.g., in-laws), not through direct bloodline descent. Kani is focused solely on blood relatives.
Therefore, Kani's focus on parents, grandparents, and children, while excluding siblings and cousins, represents lineal descent in kinship terminology.
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Important Questions from Indian Family, Marriage & Kinship
- Who developed the concept of ‘seed and earth' as a way to understand the gendered division of labour and cultural construction of gender?
- Which of the following option(s) is/are CORRECT?
- Flavia Agnes (2013) writes, “Despite all the positive impact of the campaign revolving it, the Delhi gang rape incident does not foreground the different types of violations that take place in our society. Rather, it reinforces the popular perception that rape takes place in lonely places, late at night, by strangers and that rapists are brutes or psychopaths who deserve to be hanged. But most rapes take place in the privacy of our homes, in our schools. Rapes by family members are seldom reported."
From the above excerpt, which of the following statement(s) is/are CORRECT?
i. Progressive mobilisations protesting violence against women can themselves reproduce patriarchy
ii. Contrary to popular perception, sexual violence against women happens only in the privacy of our homes
iii. According to popular perception, rapists are brutes or psychopaths Patriliny is a kinship term that refers to_________.
- Which of the following author(s) highlighted the connection between kinship terminology and kinship structure in India?
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