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What Are Kinship Terminologies, and Why Do We Care? A Computational Approach to Analyzing Symbolic Domains

Read, Dwight, Fischer, Michael D., Leaf, Murray J. (2013) What Are Kinship Terminologies, and Why Do We Care? A Computational Approach to Analyzing Symbolic Domains. Social Science Computer Review, 31 (1). pp. 16-44. ISSN 0894-4393. (doi:10.1177/0894439312455914) (KAR id:31546)

Abstract

Kinship is a fundamental feature and basis of human societies. We describe a set of computational tools and services, the Kinship Algebra Modeler, and the logic that underlies these. These were developed to improve how we understand both the fundamental facts of kinship, and how people use kinship as a resource in their lives. Mathematical formalism applied to cultural concepts is more than an exercise in model building, as it provides a way to represent and explore logical consistency and implications. The logic underlying kinship is explored here through the kin term computations made by users of a terminology when computing the kinship relation one person has to another by referring to a third person for whom each has a kin term relationship. Kinship Algebra Modeler provides a set of tools, services and an architecture to explore kinship terminologies and their properties in an accessible manner.

Item Type: Article
DOI/Identification number: 10.1177/0894439312455914
Uncontrolled keywords: Kinship, Algebra, Semantic Domains, Kinship Terminology, Theory Building
Subjects: G Geography. Anthropology. Recreation > GN Anthropology
Divisions: Divisions > Division of Human and Social Sciences > School of Anthropology and Conservation
Funders: Organisations -1 not found.
Depositing User: Michael Fischer
Date Deposited: 11 Oct 2012 14:55 UTC
Last Modified: 09 Dec 2022 01:02 UTC
Resource URI: https://kar.kent.ac.uk/id/eprint/31546 (The current URI for this page, for reference purposes)

University of Kent Author Information

Fischer, Michael D..

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