What is descent?
Share
Lost your password? Please enter your email address. You will receive a link and will create a new password via email.
Please briefly explain why you feel this question should be reported.
Please briefly explain why you feel this answer should be reported.
Please briefly explain why you feel this user should be reported.
Descent, in the context of sociology and anthropology, refers to the social process through which individuals trace their ancestry and determine their kinship ties. It encompasses the ways in which people identify their familial connections and understand their place within family structures and larger social groups.
Descent systems can vary significantly across cultures and societies. There are two primary types of descent:
Patrilineal Descent: In patrilineal descent systems, individuals trace their kinship through their father's line. This means that children belong to their father's lineage, and inheritance, property rights, and other social obligations are often passed down through the male line.
Matrilineal Descent: Matrilineal descent systems, on the other hand, trace kinship through the mother's line. In these systems, children belong to the mother's lineage, and inheritance and social obligations are often passed down through the female line.
Some societies also have bilateral descent systems, where individuals recognize kinship through both their mother's and father's sides equally.
Understanding descent is crucial for comprehending social organization, inheritance patterns, marriage regulations, and other aspects of kinship systems in diverse cultures.