Family, Marriage and Kinship MCQ Quiz in मल्याळम - Objective Question with Answer for Family, Marriage and Kinship - സൗജന്യ PDF ഡൗൺലോഡ് ചെയ്യുക

The correct answer is - Kathleen Gough.

 Key Points

Kathleen Gough:

• A British social anthropologist renowned for her detailed studies on family, marriage, and kinship systems, particularly in Southern India, especially among Tamil-speaking communities and Nayars of Kerala.
• "Nayars: Central Kerala": This work formed a part of her contributions to a broader compilation titled "Matrilineal Kinship" (1961), which she co-edited. This particular study provided an in-depth look at the Nayar community, a group known for its matrilineal structure, located in Kerala.
• Her work is significant for understanding the intricacies of social structures and the influence of economic practices on these structures in the region.

Additional Information 

• Margaret Mead:

  • American cultural anthropologist.
  • Best known for her studies and publications on the socialization of young people and gender roles in Pacific Island societies, specifically in Samoa ("Coming of Age in Samoa").
  • Introduced the concept that gender roles vary significantly across cultures and are not biologically determined.

• Bronisław Malinowski:

  • A Polish-British anthropologist often considered a father of social anthropology.
  • Pioneered fieldwork methods and participant observation.
  • His seminal work in the Trobriand Islands led to groundbreaking insights in kinship and sexual behaviour, presented in his book "The Sexual Life of Savages in North-Western Melanesia".
  • Introduced the concept of functionalism, arguing that all elements of society, such as religion, law, and kinship, serve a social function.

• Clifford Geertz:

  • American anthropologist known for his work on symbolic (or interpretive) anthropology.
  • Advocated for the interpretive analysis of cultures, focusing on the symbols and meanings understood by individuals within their social contexts.
  • His work in Bali and Java (Indonesia) is famous, particularly the study of the Balinese cockfight, described in his essay "Deep Play: Notes on the Balinese Cockfight," highlighting how the sport reflects Balinese society, culture, and status relations.

Statement D represents the incorrect meaning of Ambilineal descent.

Important PointsMatrilineal Descent:

• Inheritance and titles, such as family land or leadership positions, are passed down through the mother's line.
• Maternal uncles often play significant roles in the lives of their nephews and nieces, sometimes more so than biological fathers.
• This system emphasizes the importance of women in society, particularly in the transmission of culture and property.

• Lineage, including family name, inheritance, and social status, is traced through the father’s side.
• Males typically inherit property and titles from their fathers, and paternal lineage defines clan or group membership.
• Fathers or paternal relatives often have a significant influence on the socialization and upbringing of children.

• Individuals recognize and integrate kinship ties from both their mother's and father's sides of the family.
• This results in a wide network of relatives and a more inclusive approach to family ties and inheritance.
• Kinship obligations and inheritances may be more diffused, with a focus on nuclear rather than extended family.

• Allows flexibility in choosing affiliation to either the mother’s or father’s lineage, based on various factors like social standing, economic opportunities, or personal preference.
• It does not rigidly assign descent based on the higher social status of a parent but allows the family or individual to choose which lineage to identify with.
• This system is adaptive, enabling families or individuals to align themselves with the social or economic group that offers the most advantages at a given time.

BUT Ambilineal descent does not automatically assign lineage based on the parent with the highest social status; rather, it allows for flexibility in choosing which lineage to follow. 

The correct answer is Louis Dumont.

Key Points

• Kinship is a system of recognizing relationship by blood, marriage and social relationship.
• Louis Dumont is regarded as the proponent of the 'alliance theory' in the study of kinship patterns.
• According to Louis Dumont ‘alliance’ refers to the repetition of intermarriage between larger or smaller groups.
• Louis Dumont looked at Dravidian kinship as a form of marriage. He saw affinity as a structure that ensures continuity between generations.
• Dumont demonstrated the existence of a preferential cross-cousin marriage rule, or an explicit rule determining that a man should marry a woman who is either a true cross-cousin or who is classified as such by kinship terminology, in his study of the Tamil Kallar kinship system in South India.
• Dravidian kinship terminology is clearly linked to cross-cousin marriage rules.

Additional Information Some of the important works of Louis Dumont are as follows:

1. Hierarchy and Marriage Alliance in South Indian Kinship (1957)
2. Homo Hierarchicus (1966)
3. Essays on Individualism (1983)
4. Homo Aequalis (1984)

Key Points

•  A.R. Radcliffe-Brown is renowned for his structural-functional approach to anthropology, emphasizing the interrelations among the elements of social systems.
• He defined kinship not merely as a biological connection or a means of descent and inheritance but as a system of dynamic relationships that are crucial for the structure and functioning of a society.
• Radcliffe-Brown's focus was on how kinship rules and relationships contribute to social order and continuity, viewing them as integral to the social fabric.

Additional Information

• L.H. Morgan is known for pioneering the field of kinship studies and social structure analysis.
• His groundbreaking work, "Systems of Consanguinity and Affinity of the Human Family," categorized kinship systems across different societies.
• Morgan introduced the idea that social institutions, including kinship patterns, evolve through stages from savagery, through barbarism, to civilization.
• E.B. Tylor is often considered the founder of cultural anthropology, with significant contributions to understanding and defining culture.
• His seminal work, "Primitive Culture," laid the foundations for anthropological thought, focusing on the broad concept of culture and its scientific study,
• Indirectly influencing the field of kinship studies by shaping the anthropological context.
• G.P. Murdock made prolific contributions to the comparative analysis of family structures, sexual norms, and kinship systems.
• Through his work on the Social Structure and the Ethnographic Atlas,
• Murdock advanced cross-cultural comparisons, significantly enriching the understanding of kinship patterns across different societies.

Key Points

• Parallel cousins are the children of two siblings of the same sex.
• For instance, your parallel cousins are the children of your father's brother or your mother's sister.
• Cross-cousins, on the other hand, are the children of a brother and a sister.
• They are not mentioned as the correct answer because they represent a different branch of cousin relationships.
• Affines and cognates relate to kinship and family relations but do not specifically describe the relationship between the children of siblings of the same sex.
• This classification highlights the specific lineage and familial ties within extended families, emphasizing the importance of understanding kinship terms.

Additional Information

• Kinship terms vary greatly across different cultures and languages,
• Reflecting the diversity of social structures and familial bonds worldwide.
• Understanding these terms can provide deeper insights into cultural practices and social organization.

Concept:

Alimony:

• The right to receive and claim maintenance after divorce.
• One of the most important rights under divorce and matrimonial laws.
• The term alimony has its origin in the Latic word Alimonia meaning sustenance.
• The terms maintenance and alimony are interchangeable.

Alimony under Hindu laws:

• Section 25 of Hindu Marriage Act 1955.
• Section 18 of Hindu Adoption and Maintenance Act, 1956.
• Maintenance can be raised and lowered as per the changes in the husband’s salary.
• The spouse can petition the court regarding the increase in the income.
• The husband can petition the court for orders to stop the alimony if the wife remarries, though he is still supposed to pay a maintenance amount to support children.

Additional Information

• Mahr: It is the obligation, in the form of money or possessions paid by the groom, to the bride at the time of Islamic marriage.
• Bride price: It bride token, is money, property, or other form of wealth paid by a groom or his family to the woman or the family of the woman
• Dowry: It is a payment, such as property or money, paid by the bride's family to the groom or his family at the time of marriage.

The correct answer is - A, B, C and D 

Key Points

• Fraternal Polyandry
  • It is a form of polyandry (multiple husbands) where the husbands are brothers.
• Several Brothers Sharing a Wife (A)
  • In this system, it is common for several brothers to share one wife.
• Age Range of Brothers is Often Large (B)
  • The brothers in such arrangements often have a significant age range, reflecting the typical sibling age differences.
• Eldest Brother is in Control as Much as Father (C)
  • The eldest brother often assumes a role similar to that of a father, holding considerable authority in the family dynamics.
• Regulated Sexual Access within the 'Family' (D)
  • There are usually established norms and regulations governing sexual access within the family to maintain harmony and order.

Additional Information

• Fraternal Polyandry in Tibetan Society
  • Fraternal polyandry helps in keeping family estates undivided and maintaining economic stability.
  • It also reduces the number of heirs, thus ensuring that the property remains within the family.
  • This practice is generally more prevalent in rural and agrarian communities where land and resources are limited.

The correct answer is ‘Simone de Beauvoir’.

Key Points

• Simone de Beauvoir was a French writer, intellectual, existentialist philosopher, political activist, feminist, and social theorist.
• She is best known for her 1949 treatise "The Second Sex", a detailed analysis of women's oppression and a foundational tract of contemporary feminism. In the book, she examines the roles of women throughout history and presents women perceived as 'other' in the patriarchal society.
• In addition to her philosophical and feminist works, de Beauvoir wrote novels, essays, biographies, and an autobiography.
• Through her essays and other works, she significantly influenced feminist theory and feminist existential philosophy during the 20th century.

Therefore, the correct answer is Option 2.

The correct answer is - 'Mary Wollstonecraft.'

Key Points

• Mary Wollstonecraft:
  • Authored "A Vindication of the Rights of Woman" in 1792, arguing for women's education and rationality, making it a foundational text in feminist literature.
  • Her work challenged the societal norms of her time by advocating for equality between the sexes in educational opportunities.
  • Wollstonecraft's ideas laid the groundwork for future feminist movements by emphasizing the intellectual and rational capabilities of women.

Additional Information

• Simone de Beauvoir:
  • Author of "The Second Sex" (1949), an extensive analysis of women's oppression and a foundational text of contemporary feminism.
  • De Beauvoir's existentialist approach critiqued the social constructs that define femininity, exploring the idea of the "Other."
• Virginia Woolf:
  • A prominent modernist writer, Woolf contributed to feminist discourse through works like "A Room of One's Own" (1929), advocating for women's intellectual space and financial independence.
  • Her essays and novels explored the limitations imposed on women by societal norms and highlighted the need for women's autonomy.
• Betty Friedan:
  • Friedan's "The Feminine Mystique" (1963) is credited with reigniting the American feminist movement in the 20th century.
  • Her work focused on challenging the post-war idealization of women as housewives and the societal pressure to find fulfillment solely through marriage and motherhood.

The correct answer is - 'The dowry system and preference for male heirs.'

Key Points

• The dowry system and preference for male heirs:
  • The dowry system and societal preference for male heirs are deeply ingrained in some segments of Indian society, creating a significant bias towards the birth of boys over girls.
  • Male children are often seen as financial and social assets who will carry on the family name and inheritance rights, in addition to providing for their parents in old age.
  • The dowry system, where the bride's family is compelled to offer significant gifts or money to the groom's family, exacerbates this bias by viewing daughters financially burdensome.

Additional Information

• The high cost of wedding ceremonies in India:
  • Although the high cost of wedding ceremonies in India is a concern, it is not a primary factor driving the continued practice of prenatal sex determination. The financial aspect is more directly related to the dowry system than to wedding costs.
• Lack of access to education:
  • While lack of access to education contributes to persistence of gender biases, it is not the direct cause of prenatal sex determination practices. Education can play a significant role in changing societal norms and attitudes over time.
• Urbanization and modernization:
  • Urbanization and modernization might seem like they would reduce traditional biases and practices such as prenatal sex determination. However, instances of such practices persist even in urbanized and modern contexts, indicating that socio-cultural factors like the dowry system play a more significant role.