Module Code and Title:         AID101 Kinship and Family

Programme:                          BA in Anthropology

Credit:                                    12

Module Tutor:                        New Tutor #1

General Objectives: The purpose of this module is to explore the universally important social institution of kin or family. Students will be asked to consider the way in which patterns of kinship reflect particular cultural, political and historical contexts. In particular, they will examine the way in which social changes are reshaping contemporary understandings of family, marriage and relatedness both on a global scale and within Bhutan.

Learning Outcomes – On completion of the module, students will be able to:

1. Define key concepts related to kinship, family and marriage.
2. Apply concepts and theories of kinship and family to the Bhutanese context.
3. Examine some of the cross-cultural and historical variations in kinship, family and marriage.
4. Analyse how the concepts of kinship, marriage and family are historically specific and culturally constructed.
5. Explain contemporary trends and controversies related to kinship, family and marriage both at the local Bhutanese level and the global level.
6. Explain how contemporary development policies impact Bhutanese families.
7. Collect the necessary data and construct kinship diagrams.

Learning and Teaching Approach:

Assessment Approach:

A. Kinship Chart: Portion of Final Mark: 15%

Students will individually produce a kinship chart to demonstrate that they have understood key concepts about kinship, family and relatedness. Students will have to conduct at least two interviews to collect the information that they need to create a kinship diagram of their own family that includes at least 4 generations. They will also be asked to write a short reflection (250 words long) on the process of collecting the data that was needed to produce the chart.

3%       Inclusion of at least 2 interview transcripts (that demonstrates attempts to cross check data)

2%       Accuracy and clarity of symbols used

3%       All kin relationships to ego clearly and accurately labelled

3%       Labels other key relationships (as specified by tutor) including kindred and households

4%       Reflection on data collection process (thoughtfulness, clarity and originality)

B. In class exercises: Portion of Final Mark: 10%

Students will undertake at least five in-class writing activities either in small groups (pairs) or individually. Doing these activities in-class will allow the tutor to provide immediate and meaningful feedback on the process and not just the final results. The exercises (each graded out of 10), will have their marks averaged to compute the final mark for this assessment. In many cases, the tutors will use a worksheet to structure the assignment. An example of this kind of worksheet can be found in the appendix. These in-class activities should include (but are not limited to):

• Answering questions based on readings. These questions should guide students towards writing clear and accurate summaries and identifying main arguments as well as how these argument have been supported
• Applying kinship terminology and concepts to own families and communities. This should help students to produce more comprehensive and accurate kinship charts
• Analysis of representation of family, courtship or marriage in familiar Bhutanese and Non-Bhutanese cultural products such as literature, films, television or popular news sources.
• Preparing study guides for the exam. Students will be given time to study for the exam in class so that the tutor can supervises and provide immediate support and feedback. The exercise is intended to show students how to study for exams that are not completely based on recall but also invite them apply module concepts in novel and unanticipated contexts.

C. Class Tests: Portion of Final Mark: 10%

Students will undertake a class test twice during the semester; once before mid-term and once after mid-term (5% each). The written tests will be conducted within the class for duration of 40-50 min and cover 2-4 weeks of material.

D. Class Participation: Portion of Final Mark 5%

Students will be expected to participate substantially in class discussions, with contributions reflecting adequate preparation for topics under discussion. 2.5% of class participation and preparedness will be assessed before midterm, and the remaining 2.5% post midterm.

E. Midterm Examination: Portion of Final Mark: 20%

Students will take a written exam of 1.5 hr duration covering topics up to the mid-point of the semester.

Prerequisites: None

Subject Matter:

1. Unit I: Introduction to Kinship
   • Defining kinship: key concepts
   • Importance of kinship to understanding society and culture
   • History of studying kinship in Anthropology
   • Contemporary approaches to kinship: changes and trends
2. Unit II: Kinship Systems
   • Types and example of kinship systems
   • Impact of residence, inheritance and succession on understanding kinship
   • The relationship between kinship and political systems
   • Social relations and roles within kinship systems
   • The incest taboo as a near universal phenomenon
   • Methods for documenting kinship: kinship charts/ diagrams
3. Unit III: Marriage
   • Definitions of marriage and related key concepts
   • Marriage types and patterns; historical and contemporary trends
   • Theories on marriage function
   • Marriage breakdown and divorce: historical and contemporary approaches and trends
4. Unit IV: Family
   • Definitions of family and related key concepts
   • Types of family and examples
   • Theories on family function
   • Families within a cross-cultural perspective: patterns and comparisons
   • Contemporary trends in family type and formation
   • Non-traditional/Alternative families and family members (E.g. pets): descriptions and implications
   • Violence within families :domestic violence, child abuse, elder abuse
   • Representations of family in media and art
5. Unit V: Social Change, Kinship and Family
   • Introduction to demographic transitions; key terms and trends
   • Changing gender roles and the family
   • The impact of modernity and globalization on kinship and family
   • The impact of new technologies on kinship and family(e.g. ultrasounds, sex selective abortions and surrogacy)
6. Unit VI: The Bhutanese Context of Kinship
   • Historical approaches to kinship (Dorji)
   • Historical approaches to courtship (Penjore)
   • The impact of social change on Bhutanese families and kinship
   • The impact of contemporary policy on Bhutanese families

Reading List:

1. Essential Reading
   • Bonvillain, N. (2006). Kinship and decent. In N. Bonvillain, Cultural Anthropology (pp. 211-238). New York:
   • Bonvillain, N. (2006). Marriage and the family. In N. Bonvillain, Cultural Anthropology (pp. 239-169). New York:
   • Coontz, S. (2004). The world historical transformation of marriage. Journal of Marriage and Family, 66(4), 974-979.
   • Herzfeld, M. (2007). Global kinship: Anthropology and the politics of knowing.Anthropological Quarterly, 80(2), 313-323.
   • Penjore, D. (2009). Love, courtship and marriage in rural Bhutan: A preliminary ethnography of Wamling Village in Zhemgang. Thimphu: Galing Printer and Publisher.
2. Additional Reading
   • Brunson, J. (2016).Planning families in Nepal: Global and local projects of reproduction. New Brunswick, NJ: Rutgers University Press.
   • Collier, J. F., & Yanagisako, S. J. (1987).Gender and kinship: Essays toward a unified analysis. Stanford, CA: Stanford University Press.
   • Davidson, J. K., & Moore, N. B. (1996). Marriage and family: Change and continuity. Needham Heights, MA: Allyn and Bacon.
   • Dorji, L. (2004). Sergmathang kothikin and other Bhutanese marriage customs (Monograph No.3). Thimphu: The Centre for Bhutan Studies.
   • Dorji, T. (2008). Flute of Diza: Marriage customs and practices among the Brogpa of Merak and Sakteng. Thimphu: Bhutan Times Ltd.
   • Fox, R. (1984). Kinship and marriage an anthropological perspective. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
   • Garey, A. (1995). Constructing motherhood on the night shift: ‘Working mothers’ as ‘stay-at-home moms’. Qualitative Sociology, 18(4), 415-437.
   • Owens, E. (2007). The sociology of love, courtship and dating. In C. Bryant & D. Peck (Eds.), 21^st Century Sociology: A reference handbook (pp. 266-271). Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications.
   • Parkin, R. (1997).Kinship: An introduction to basic concepts. Oxford: Blackwell.
   • Peletz, M. G. (1995). Kinship studies in late twentieth-century anthropology.Annual Review of Anthropology, 24(1), 343-372.
   • Stone, L. (2013).Kinship and gender: An introduction. Boulder, Co: Westview press.
   • Vogler, C. (2005). Cohabiting couples: Rethinking money in the household at the beginning of the twenty first century. The Sociological Review 53(1), 1-29.
   • Williams, S. (2008). What is fatherhood? Searching for the reflexive father. Sociology 42(3), 487-502.

Date: March 15, 2018