Family and HouseholdFamily and Household

The Role of Postmarital The Role of Postmarital ResidenceResidence

Family and HouseholdFamily and Household

Not all families share a residence, so we have to Not all families share a residence, so we have to make a distinction between families and make a distinction between families and householdshouseholds

Households may be defined as a basic Households may be defined as a basic residential unit in which production, residential unit in which production, consumption, child rearing, and inheritance are consumption, child rearing, and inheritance are organized and implementedorganized and implemented

There are variations: households may form There are variations: households may form subunits of an extended family (such as us).subunits of an extended family (such as us).

May be nonfamily: New Guinean men’s houses May be nonfamily: New Guinean men’s houses are examplesare examples

Spouses may form separate unitsSpouses may form separate units..

Nuclear FamilyNuclear Family

Couples in some cultures (like our own) forms Couples in some cultures (like our own) forms own household; this arrangement is known as own household; this arrangement is known as Neolocal Residence.Neolocal Residence.

Nuclear Family Nuclear Family is a family comprising one is a family comprising one husband, one wife, and their childrenhusband, one wife, and their children

Nuclear families are usually found in industrial Nuclear families are usually found in industrial societies, such as the U.S., Canada, and northern societies, such as the U.S., Canada, and northern European countriesEuropean countries

They are also found in harsh environments such They are also found in harsh environments such as the Arctic among Inuit or desert among !Kungas the Arctic among Inuit or desert among !Kung

Family of Procreation and Family of Procreation and OrientationOrientation

Here, every individual belong to at least two nuclear familiesHere, every individual belong to at least two nuclear families The The family of orientation family of orientation is one into which ego is born.is one into which ego is born. The The family of procreation family of procreation is one which ego has started or is one which ego has started or

created.created.

Extended FamiliesExtended Families

A common textbook definition is a collection A common textbook definition is a collection of nuclear families united consanguineally of nuclear families united consanguineally (by blood) living in one household(by blood) living in one household

A more precise definition is a family of three A more precise definition is a family of three or more generations of married kin.or more generations of married kin.

Generally, this suggests that the Generally, this suggests that the arrangement is permanent if you have that arrangement is permanent if you have that many generations of married kin.many generations of married kin.

Extended family householdExtended family household refers to such refers to such families sharing a residence families sharing a residence

Patrilocal ResidencePatrilocal Residence

In this case, the couple moves in In this case, the couple moves in with the groom’s parents/kinwith the groom’s parents/kin

Sometimes this is called Sometimes this is called virilocal virilocal residenceresidence

Patrilocal Extended Family Patrilocal Extended Family comprises the followingcomprises the following::

all consanguineal malesall consanguineal males all consanguineal unmarried all consanguineal unmarried

femalesfemales all females married into familyall females married into family Patrilocal extended families occur Patrilocal extended families occur

where male cooperation important where male cooperation important in subsistence or war in subsistence or war

Matrilocal ResidenceMatrilocal Residence Here, the couple moves in with Here, the couple moves in with

bride’s parents/kinbride’s parents/kin Sometimes it is called Sometimes it is called

uxorilocal residenceuxorilocal residence Matrilocal Extended Family Matrilocal Extended Family

comprises the following: comprises the following: all consanguineal femalesall consanguineal females all unmarried consanguineal all unmarried consanguineal

malesmales all males married into familyall males married into family This is found where female This is found where female

cooperation important in cooperation important in subsistence or land ownershipsubsistence or land ownership

Avunculocal ResidenceAvunculocal Residence This form of residence This form of residence

occurs only with matrilineal occurs only with matrilineal descentdescent

The household is formed The household is formed when the boy moves in when the boy moves in with mother’s brother at with mother’s brother at age 5-6 years, as shown in age 5-6 years, as shown in this diagram.this diagram.

Afterward, he is then Afterward, he is then reared by his mother’s reared by his mother’s brotherbrother

Upon marriage, his wife Upon marriage, his wife moves in. moves in.

In turn, their boys move in In turn, their boys move in with his wife’s brother.with his wife’s brother.

Avunculocal Residence: A Likely Avunculocal Residence: A Likely explanationexplanation

At one time, the culture formerly relied on At one time, the culture formerly relied on cooperation among women cooperation, cooperation among women cooperation, possibly as cultivatorspossibly as cultivators

Male property eventually becomes Male property eventually becomes valuable, or warfare developed, either valuable, or warfare developed, either favoring male cooperation.favoring male cooperation.

Rather then a full-blown shift to patrilineal Rather then a full-blown shift to patrilineal reckoning, they made a partial shift to reckoning, they made a partial shift to cooperation among the sisters’ brothers.cooperation among the sisters’ brothers.

Variation: The chiefly class practices Variation: The chiefly class practices avunculocal residence, but the other avunculocal residence, but the other families are patrilineal.families are patrilineal.

Ambilocal (Bilocal) ResidenceAmbilocal (Bilocal) Residence This residence rule occurs with This residence rule occurs with

bilateral descentbilateral descent Household is formed whenHousehold is formed when:: The couple moves in The couple moves in eithereither

with the groom’s parents or with the groom’s parents or bride’s parentsbride’s parents

This form occurs where This form occurs where resources are limited within a resources are limited within a geographically restricted space, geographically restricted space, such as an island.such as an island.

The choice depends on resource The choice depends on resource advantage of one family or the advantage of one family or the otherother

The core members are The core members are individuals of both genders, but individuals of both genders, but not all males or all females not all males or all females (diagram). (diagram).

Example: Gilbert Islanders Example: Gilbert Islanders OoOo and Bwotiand Bwoti

Oo: Oo: An overarching bilateral An overarching bilateral descent group for the entire descent group for the entire island in the Gilberts of the island in the Gilberts of the South PacificSouth Pacific

A A bwoti bwoti Is a community Is a community council seat, whose council seat, whose membership is based on land membership is based on land rights, potentially severalrights, potentially several

A man or woman can choose A man or woman can choose only one only one bwoti,bwoti,

Here, 8 individuals have Here, 8 individuals have chosen 6 chosen 6 bwotisbwotis::

Four in the father’s group (2, Four in the father’s group (2, 3,5,6) and four in mother’s 3,5,6) and four in mother’s group (1,4,7,8). group (1,4,7,8).

Example: Gilbert Islanders Example: Gilbert Islanders KaingaKainga

A A kaingakainga is a localized is a localized landowning group based on landowning group based on marriagemarriage

If a couple decides to move If a couple decides to move into man’s group, the woman into man’s group, the woman retains rights to her retains rights to her kainga, kainga, but she may not pass it down but she may not pass it down to her children; the same to her children; the same applies to the male.applies to the male.

Kainga Kainga is structurally similar is structurally similar to the to the bwoti; bwoti; some individuals some individuals stay, while others leave. stay, while others leave.

Over time, Over time, ramagesramages or or ambilineal descent groupsambilineal descent groups formform

In this diagram, we see four In this diagram, we see four kaingas kaingas coded by color.coded by color.

Matrifocal (Matricentric) Matrifocal (Matricentric) HouseholdHousehold

Today, single parent Today, single parent households are becoming households are becoming commoncommon

Matrifocal (MatricentricMatrifocal (Matricentric) ) households comprise a households comprise a woman and her childrenwoman and her children

Reasons include the process Reasons include the process deindustrialization, leading to deindustrialization, leading to the inability of a man to the inability of a man to support his family; divorce support his family; divorce and premature death and premature death (diagram) are also (diagram) are also contributing factors. contributing factors.

Patrifocal (patricentric) Patrifocal (patricentric) households are also households are also increasing.increasing.

Successor Marriage: Levirate Successor Marriage: Levirate and Sororateand Sororate

Levirate:Levirate: Marriage in Marriage in which widow marries which widow marries the brother of her the brother of her deceased husbanddeceased husband

Sororate:Sororate: Marriage in Marriage in which widower which widower marries the sister of marries the sister of his deceased wifehis deceased wife

Both are marriages to Both are marriages to protect and support protect and support the women who the women who otherwise would lack otherwise would lack partners.partners.

Summary of This SectionSummary of This Section

Marriage has been defined in two ways: Marriage has been defined in two ways: One stressing legitimacy of childrenOne stressing legitimacy of childrenOne stressing relationship of personsOne stressing relationship of personsHousehold and Family have been definedHousehold and Family have been definedTypes of family definedTypes of family definedExtended familyExtended familyExtended family by postmarital residence.Extended family by postmarital residence.Next: Larger kin-based groups.Next: Larger kin-based groups.