Sociology of Kinship

By Dr. Sarika Dixit | Mahatma Gandhi University, Meghalaya

Learners enrolled: 543

Hello everyone

I am Dr. Sarika Dixit, School of Social Sciences, Devi Ahilya University, Indore, I am offering one MOOC Course at Undergraduate level BA Sociology- Sociology of Kinship. After Completing this course you all will be able to understand the

1. Basic principles,

2. Key terms

3. Theoretical Perspectives related to kinship.

In first Chapter of Unit I we will cover the Key Terms like

1. Descent

2. Consanguinity

3. Filiation

4. Incest Taboo

5. Affinity,

6. Family,

7. Residence etc

In Second chapter of Unit I we will learn the approaches of Kinship like Descent, Alliance and Cultural approaches etc.

In Second Unit we learn the different dimensions of Family, Household & Marriage like

1. Types of Family

2. Family Roles: Boys & Men

3. Family Roles: Girls & Women

4. Family Cycle

5. Family in India

6. concept of Household

7. Changing Patterns in Household

8. Definition and concept of Marriage

9. Types of Marriages

10. Theories related to Marriage

11. Marriage System in India

12. Changed Scenario of Marriages in Contemporary time and many more.

Now the Last III Unit we learn the concepts related to Re-casting Kinship like

1. Concept of Relatedness

2. Kinship and Relatedness

3. Theoretical Framework on Relatedness

4. Changed scenario of Relatedness

5. Kinship and Gender

6. Theoretical Views on Gender

7. Patriarchy and Sexual Divison of labour

8. Matriarchy and Sexual Divison of labour

9. Subordination of Women in Societies

10. Re-imagining Families in current trends

11. Concept of New Reproductive Technologies

12. Types of New Reproductive Technologies and current trends

13. Sociology of Reproduction

At the end of the course we will discuss the five case-Studies which will help you for better understanding of the concepts, theoretical perspectives of kinship, and kinship patterns in changing scenario.

Whole course is of 6 Credits, consisting 60 lectures and it basically includes four quadrants like

1. Video Content

2. E – Content

3. Discussion

4. Assessment

It has been evidenced that kinship is found in each and every society; Kinship is basically a relation by the bond of blood , marriage. Kinship is universal and in most societies plays a significant role in the socialization of individuals and the maintenance of group solidarity.

It is an important Institution of our Society. Family, Marriage and kinship all are interlinked Institutions. In Hindi it is also known as Sangotrata, Bandhhutva etc. Agnates includes (Sapindas, Sanggotras) & Cognates ( Atmabandhus, Pitrabandus & Matrabandhhus etc.)

It is very important in primitive societies and extends its influence on almost all their activities. A.R Radcliffe Brown defines kinship as a system of dynamic relations between person and person in a community, the behavior of any two persons in any of these relations being regulated in some way and to a greater or less extent by social usage.

There are two types of kinship relations

First is Affinal means Relation by the Bond of Marriage

& Second is Consanguineous means Relations by the bond of Blood

Kinship includes Agnates (sapindas, sagotras); cognates (from mother's side) and bandhus (atamabandhus, pitrubandhus, and matrubandhus).

The role & importance of kinship in the social structure can be expressed many ways like

1. Determination of Family and Marriages

2. Determination of Descent, Inheritance and Succession

3. Safeguard to Economic Interest

4. Fulfillment of Social Responsibility

5. Emotional Satisfaction

6. Kinship system helps its member to maintain the unity, harmony and cooperation amongst relationship and set the guidelines for communication and interactions amongst them. Kinship system regulates the behavior of different kin. It also helps people to develop the feeling of We.

So I hope you all get benefitted this course.

Thank you

Summary

Course Status :	Ongoing
Course Type :	Core
Language for course content :	English
Duration :	12 weeks
Category :	Humanities and Social Sciences
Credit Points :	5
Level :	Undergraduate
Start Date :	11 Jul 2024
End Date :	31 Oct 2024
Enrollment Ends :	31 Aug 2024
Exam Date :	14 Dec 2024 IST
Exam Shift :	Shift - 2

Note: This exam date is subject to change based on seat availability. You can check final exam date on your hall ticket.

Page Visits

Course layout

Week 1	1.	Concept, Role and importance of Kinship
	2.	Usages of Kinship
	3.	Theoretical Perspective of Kinship
	4.	Kinship patterns in Indian Context
	5.	Impact of Globalization on Kinship system
Week2	6.	Concept of Descent
	7.	Patrilineal Descent
	8.	Matrilineal Descent
	9.	Bi-lateral Descent
Week3	10.	Concept of Consanguinity
	11.	Concept of Filiation
	12.	Definition and Concept of Incest Taboo
	13.	Anthropological view on Incest Taboo
	14.	Concept of Affinity
Week4	15.	Concept of Residence
	16.	Rules of Residence
	17.	Aspects of Adjustment to Residence
	18.	Approaches to study Kinship: Historical & Evolutionary Approach
	19.	Descent Approach
Week5	20.	Alliance Approach
	21.	Cultural Approach
	22.	Structural- Functional Approach
	23.	Gender Perspective Approach
	24.	Concept of Family
Week6	25.	Family: Types of Family
	26.	Family Roles: Boys & Men
	27.	Family Roles: Girl & Women
	28.	Family Cycle I
	29.	Family Cycle II
	30.	Family in India
Week7	31.	Changed scenario of Family in contemporary time
	32.	Family and Household
	33.	Household History and Sociological Theory
	34.	Changing Patterns in Household
	35.	Definition and concept of Marriage
Week8	36.	Types of Marriages
	37.	Theories related to Marriage
	38.	Marriage System in India
	39.	Changed Scenario of Marriages in Contemporary time
	40.	Definition and Concept of Relatedness
Week9	41.	Relationship between Kinship and Relatedness
	42.	Theoretical Framework on Relatedness
	43.	Changed scenario of Relatedness
	44.	Theoretical Views on Gender
	45.	Patriarchy and Sexual Division of labour
Week10	46.	Matriarchy and Sexual Division of labour
	47.	Subordination of Women in Societies
	48.	Re-imagining Families in current trends
Week11	49.	Sociology of Reproduction
	50.	Concept of New Reproductive Technologies
	51.	Types of New Reproductive Technologies and current trends
Week 12	52.	Case Study-I
	53.	Case Study –II
	54.	Case Study- III
	55.	Case Study- IV

Books and references

Carsten, Janet, 1995, ‘The Substance of Kinship and the Heat of the Hearth: Feeding, Personhood, and Relatedness among Malays in Pulau Langkawi’ American Ethnologist.
Lévi-Strauss, Claude, 1969, The Elementary Structures of Kinship, London: Eyre and Spottiswoode, Chapters 1 & 2.
Radcliffe-Brown, A. R. and D. Forde (eds.), 1950, African Systems of Kinship and Marriage, London: Oxford University Press, Introduction.
Evans-Pritchard, E.E., 2004 (1940), ‘The Nuer of Southern Sudan’, in R. Parkin and L. Stone (eds.), Kinship and Family: An Anthropological Reader, U.S.A.: Blackwell.
Dumont, L., 1968, ‘Marriage Alliance’, in D. Shills (ed.), International Encyclopedia of the Social Sciences, U.S.A.: Macmillan and Free Press.

Instructor bio

Dr. Sarika Dixit

Mahatma Gandhi University, Meghalaya

I am Dr. Sarika Dixit, currently working as Registrar (Prof. Sociology) Mahatma Gandhi University, Meghalaya, (Since 2nd March 2023), Since 2011, I was working with SOSS, DAVV, Indore as a faculty, convener MSW Sociology, PHD coordinator, extensively involved in administrative activities, NAAC, Research, Exam, Result etc. Beside this I was also engaged with Katsturba gram Rural Institute, Indore, One Stop center, Indore, Jila Rojgaar karyalaya, Indore, Police training Institute, Indore, CPCLDP program of Chitrakoot University, in different capacities.

I have completed my One ICSSR IMPRESS Project on Menstrual Health and Hygiene, Two MOOC from CEC have been awarded to me, one is Sociology of Kinship at undergraduate level and second is Research Method II at Undergraduate level.

Course certificate

The course is free to learn. Interested Learners can enroll and learn the course for free.

If You wish to get certified on this course you must register and write the proctored exam after payment of exam fee.

30 Marks will be allocated for Internal Assessment and 70 Marks will be allocated for end term proctored examination.

Securing 40% in both separately is mandatory to pass the course and get Credit Certificate.

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