Cross-cousin marriage

Definition

Cross-cousin marriage refers to a type of kinship-based marriage where an individual marries the child of their parent's opposite-sex sibling, such as the daughter of one's uncle or the son of one's aunt. This practice is often encouraged in various cultures as it strengthens family ties and alliances while preserving property and social status within a lineage.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. Cross-cousin marriage is often seen in societies that value kinship ties and may be viewed as a way to strengthen family alliances.
2. In some cultures, cross-cousin marriage is preferred over marrying parallel cousins due to the belief that it helps to create stronger familial bonds and maintain property within the family.
3. This type of marriage can also serve as a means of ensuring social cohesion by reinforcing relationships among extended family members.
4. The acceptance and practice of cross-cousin marriage vary widely across cultures, with some societies promoting it while others may strictly prohibit it.
5. Cross-cousin marriages can lead to complex kinship networks that have implications for inheritance, social roles, and obligations within families.

Review Questions

• How does cross-cousin marriage function as a strategy for maintaining family alliances in certain cultures?
  • Cross-cousin marriage serves as a strategic approach for maintaining family alliances by linking families through marital ties. By marrying a cross-cousin, families are able to strengthen their bonds and ensure that resources, property, and social status remain within the extended family. This practice reinforces kinship ties that can be vital for cooperation and mutual support among family members.
• Discuss the differences between cross-cousin marriage and parallel cousin marriage in terms of cultural acceptance and familial roles.
  • Cross-cousin marriage is often culturally accepted in various societies as a means to enhance familial relationships and preserve wealth within the lineage, while parallel cousin marriage may be less favored or even prohibited. In many cultures, marrying a cross-cousin is seen as creating beneficial alliances and fostering cooperation, whereas marrying parallel cousins might be viewed as too close genetically and socially. These differing perceptions shape the roles individuals play within their families and influence the social dynamics related to inheritance and support.
• Evaluate the implications of cross-cousin marriage on inheritance practices and social structures within communities that endorse this tradition.
  • Cross-cousin marriage has significant implications on inheritance practices and social structures in communities that endorse this tradition. By encouraging marriages among cross-cousins, these societies often ensure that property and resources are kept within specific family groups, thereby reinforcing social hierarchies. This practice shapes the distribution of wealth, influences familial obligations, and affects power dynamics within communities. Moreover, it can lead to intricate kinship networks that complicate issues related to governance, loyalty, and alliance formation.

Related terms

Parallel Cousins: Cousins who are the children of siblings of the same sex; for example, the children of two brothers or two sisters.

Endogamy: The custom of marrying within a specific social group, caste, or community, often to maintain cultural or familial identity.

Exogamy: The practice of marrying outside one's social group or community, which can promote genetic diversity and strengthen alliances between different groups.