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The Cultural Grounding of Kinship: A Paradigm Shift

Read, Dwight, Fischer, Michael D., Lehman, F. K. (Chit Hlaing) (2014) The Cultural Grounding of Kinship: A Paradigm Shift. L'Homme, 2 (210). pp. 63-89. ISSN 9782713224430. E-ISSN 1953-8103. (The full text of this publication is not currently available from this repository. You may be able to access a copy if URLs are provided) (KAR id:41547)

The full text of this publication is not currently available from this repository. You may be able to access a copy if URLs are provided.
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Abstract

English:

Kinship systems are conceptually grounded in culturally formulated idea-systems we refer to as kinship terminologies and through which the boundaries, form and structure of human social systems are culturally constituted. A terminology, contrary to a long-standing assumption in anthropology, is not based on a prior categorization of genealogical relations, as the latter is derived from the structural logic of the kinship terminology. The terminology structure, formally represented as an algebraic structure, can be generated from primary kin terms in accordance with a hypothesized universal theory of kinship terminology structures. Terminologies differ culturally according to the primary terms and equations used for generating them. This requires a paradigm shift from the received view of genealogy as the primary basis for kin relations to a new paradigm in which kinship incorporates both a kin term space expressed through a culturally constituted idea-system we refer to as a kinship terminology and a genealogical space constructed recursively using parent-child relations. Both of these spaces are grounded in a family space composed of parent-child, spouse and sibling positions.

French:

Les bases culturelles de la parenté

D’un point de vue conceptuel, les systèmes de parenté reposent sur des modes de représentation culturelle que nous appelons terminologies de parenté et à partir desquelles les limites, la forme et la structure des principes d’organisation sociale sont culturellement élaborés. Contrairement à ce que les anthropologues tiennent depuis longtemps pour acquis, une terminologie n’est pas forcément inhérente aux relations généalogiques, ces dernières découlant de la logique structurelle de la terminologie de parenté. La structure de la terminologie, représentée sous une forme algébrique, peut être produite à partir des principaux termes de parenté, suivant un principe supposé universel de structures terminologiques de la parenté. Les terminologies diffèrent, sur le plan culturel, selon les principales expressions et équations utilisées pour les élaborer. Cela implique un changement de paradigme qui nous ferait passer de la généalogie considérée comme fondement essentiel des relations de parenté à un modèle dans lequel la parenté intégrerait à la fois des termes de parenté propres à un système de représentations culturellement constitué auquel nous nous référons dans la terminologie de parenté, et une dimension généalogique élaborée de manière récursive en utilisant les relations parents/enfants. Ces deux domaines sont fondés sur un espace familial comprenant les positions de parents/enfants, conjoints, germains.

Item Type: Article
Uncontrolled keywords: Kinship, Kinship Terminologies, Kinship Algebra
Subjects: G Geography. Anthropology. Recreation > GN Anthropology
H Social Sciences
Q Science > QA Mathematics (inc Computing science) > QA150 Algebra
Q Science > QA Mathematics (inc Computing science) > QA 75 Electronic computers. Computer science
Divisions: Divisions > Division of Human and Social Sciences > School of Anthropology and Conservation
Depositing User: Michael Fischer
Date Deposited: 26 Jun 2014 12:52 UTC
Last Modified: 17 Aug 2022 10:57 UTC
Resource URI: https://kar.kent.ac.uk/id/eprint/41547 (The current URI for this page, for reference purposes)

University of Kent Author Information

Fischer, Michael D..

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