2lA.100 owe Kinshi 1. As an organizing principle for life a. We tend to think of kin as something natural biological or as having some basis beyond culture For example, children reuniting with birth parents b. Kinship is actually highly variable and artificial from one culture to the c. Kinship organizes groups larger than a single family or households d. It can be seen as a form of social engineering 2. We need to start with basic assumptions a. Lots of things are better done in groups Fishing -in Amazon done by stunning the fish in the water and collecting them as they float to the surface Hunting-before horses, plains Indians would herd buffalo off a cliff or into a boxed canyon lll. Agriculture iv. Raising livestock v. Defense b. Social organization Network of people helps deal with Inheritance21A.100 Prof. Howe Kinship 1. As an organizing principle for life a. We tend to think of kin as something natural, biological or as having some basis beyond culture i. For example, children reuniting with birth parents b. Kinship is actually highly variable and artificial from one culture to the next c. Kinship organizes groups larger than a single family or households d. It can be seen as a form of social engineering 2. We need to start with basic assumptions: a. Lots of things are better done in groups i. Fishing – in Amazon done by stunning the fish in the water and collecting them as they float to the surface ii. Hunting – before horses, plains Indians would herd buffalo off a cliff or into a boxed canyon iii. Agriculture iv. Raising livestock v. Defense b. Social organization i. Network of people helps deal with: 1. Inheritance