Back زواج الأحفاد Arabic Kuzen nikahı Azerbaijani Стрыечны шлюб Byelorussian Casament entre cosins Catalan Verwandtenheirat German Ομοαίματος γάμος Greek Casamiento entre primos Spanish Ezkontza odolkide Basque ازدواج فامیلی Persian Serkusavioliitto Finnish

Cousin marriage

Part of a series on the
Anthropology of kinship
Basic concepts
Descent
Linealities
Household forms and residence
Terminology
By group
Case studies
Feminist
Sexuality
Major theorists
Related articles
Social anthropology
Cultural anthropology

A cousin marriage is a marriage where the spouses are cousins (i.e. people with common grandparents or people who share other fairly recent ancestors). The practice was common in earlier times and continues to be common in some societies today, though in some jurisdictions such marriages are prohibited.[1] Worldwide, more than 10% of marriages are between first or second cousins.[2] Cousin marriage is an important topic in anthropology and alliance theory.[3]

In some cultures and communities, cousin marriages are considered ideal and are actively encouraged and expected; in others, they are seen as incestuous and are subject to social stigma and taboo. Other societies may take a neutral view of the practice, neither encouraging nor condemning it, though it is usually not considered the norm. Cousin marriage was historically practiced by indigenous cultures in Australia, North America, South America, and Polynesia.[4][5][6]

In some jurisdictions, cousin marriage is legally prohibited: for example, first-cousin marriage in China, North Korea, South Korea, the Philippines, for Hindus in some jurisdictions of India, some countries in the Balkans, and 30 out of the 50 U.S. states.[7][8] It is criminalized in 8 states in the US, the only jurisdictions in the world to do so. The laws of many jurisdictions set out the degree of consanguinity prohibited among sexual relations and marriage parties. Supporters of cousin marriage where it is banned may view the prohibition as discrimination,[9][10] while opponents may appeal to moral or other arguments.[11]

Opinions vary widely as to the merits of the practice. Children of first-cousin marriages have a 4-6% risk of autosomal recessive genetic disorders compared to the 3% of the children of totally unrelated parents.[12] A study indicated that between 1800 and 1965 in Iceland, more children and grandchildren were produced from marriages between third or fourth cousins (people with common great-great- or great-great-great-grandparents) than from other degrees of separation.[13]

  1. ^ History, Mr (24 January 2017). "When Did Cousin Marriage Become Unacceptable?". HistoryNet. Retrieved 10 August 2019.
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference kershaw was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference ottenheimer3 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ Dousset, Laurent (17 May 2018), "Part three: Western Desert kinship ethnography", Australian Aboriginal Kinship : An introductory handbook with particular emphasis on the Western Desert, Manuels du Credo, Marseille: pacific-credo Publications, pp. 75–94, ISBN 978-2-9563981-1-0, retrieved 15 April 2021
  5. ^ Dousset, Laurent (17 May 2018), "Part two: Some basic concepts of kinship", Australian Aboriginal Kinship : An introductory handbook with particular emphasis on the Western Desert, Manuels du Credo, Marseille: pacific-credo Publications, pp. 45–74, ISBN 978-2-9563981-1-0, retrieved 3 November 2022
  6. ^ Dousset, Laurent (17 May 2018), "Glossary", Australian Aboriginal Kinship : An introductory handbook with particular emphasis on the Western Desert, Manuels du Credo, Marseille: pacific-credo Publications, pp. 125–132, doi:10.4000/books.pacific.556, ISBN 978-2-9563981-1-0, retrieved 13 September 2023
  7. ^ "The Surprising Truth About Cousins and Marriage". 14 February 2014.
  8. ^ Paul, Diane B.; Spencer, Hamish G. (23 December 2008). ""It's Ok, We're Not Cousins by Blood": The Cousin Marriage Controversy in Historical Perspective". PLOS Biology. 6 (12): 2627–30. doi:10.1371/journal.pbio.0060320. PMC 2605922. PMID 19108607.
  9. ^ "Final Thoughts". Cousin Couples. Retrieved 4 June 2016.
  10. ^ Brandon Keim (23 December 2008). "Cousin Marriage OK by Science". Wired.
  11. ^ Saletan, William (10 April 2002). "The Love That Dare Not Speak Its Surname". Slate.
  12. ^ Hamamy, Hanan (July 2012). "Consanguineous marriages". Journal of Community Genetics. 3 (3): 185–192. doi:10.1007/s12687-011-0072-y. ISSN 1868-310X. PMC 3419292. PMID 22109912.
  13. ^ "When Incest Is Best: Kissing Cousins Have More Kin". Scientific American. 8 February 2008.

Developed by StudentB