Kinship System

In traditional societies, social membership – i.e. the definition of identity, rights and duties of an individual – primarily is defined by kinship relations. In modern societies, these functions, as a rule, are governed by state laws for most aspects of regulated social life.

Of course, informal rules do play an important role everywhere. The „informal sector“ is vital for the vast majority in developing countries. It continues to be structured by genuine kinship relations. Or kinship terms are used to define, and stabilize, social relations among people who are not truly related by kinship ties, i.e. neighbors, friends, groups of mutual assistance etc. in towns.

Wherever kinship undertakes such normative functions, the need arises to reduce complexity by limiting the number of (bio-)logically possible types of relations. This is done by rules of descent. By such rules, kins are grouped into categories. Rules of descent define descent groups.

In the following we distinguish three different types of descent rules and descent groups: Patrilineal, matrilineal and bilateral (cognatic).

Definition (PDF, 88 KB)

It should be understood that by reducing the extreme empirical diversity of social relations to three general forms means In return, such reduction renders possible an overview which otherwise would be buried under infinite forms and unending particularities.

The following explanations give a basic overview of the meaning of the three concepts which are displayed on the Kinship Map.

• In patrilineal systems, social membership and definition of status is made by a person´s father.
• In matrilineal systems, social membership and definition of status is made by a person´s mother.
• In cognatic systems, social membership and definition of status is made by a person´s biological descent (i.e. bilateral) and by marriage.
  Discussion (PDF, 69 KB)

As can be seen from the map, patrilineal kinship systems are most widespread. Matrifocal rules and groups as well as cognitive, non-linear systems are less frequent. The point is taken up again under Status Transfer.

The area is characterized by distinct

• Blue shapes: patrilineal systems. represented in Vietnam and China
• Yellow shapes: cognatic systems, mainly in Cambodia, Thailand and Myanmar
• Red shapes: matrilineal systems, as national minorities only, i.e. in Vietnam and Laos.

The country colors mirror the kinship systems of the large majority of wet-rice farmers in the large plains:

• In Vietnam the Annamese (one big triangle in the north and the south).
• In Cambodia the Khmer (yellow circle).
• In Thailand the Siamese and Thailao (and also a strong Chinese minority: blue triangle).
• In Laos the Laotiantai.

The small red triangles indicate the many minorities in these countries. In the process of increasing dominance of the lowland rice farmers, these groups have been marginalized and forced back into the mountains. These people not only differ in their subsistence economy (with horticulture and tillage farming), but also with respect to their egalitarian and matrifocal social organization.

Kinship Map
Definition of kinship categories
Discussion