Kinship and Gender

Does kinship still matter in today’s globalized, increasingly mobile world? Does the way we conceptualize kinship and the words we use to describe it have consequences? Do family structures continue to influence the varied roles that men and women play in different cultures? Answering with a resounding “yes!”, Linda Stone and Diane King offer a lively introduction to kinship. They firmly link kinship to cross-cultural gender studies, illuminating the malleable nature of gender roles around the world and over time. Stone and King bring the anthropological study of kinship and gender from the past all the way up to the present in this unique examination of the “family.”

Written to engage students, each chapter provides key terms and useful generalizations gleaned through cross-cultural research on the interplay of kinship and gender in both traditional societies and contemporary communities. Updated case studies help students understand how such generalizations are experienced “in real life.” Stone and King also consider the ramifications of current social problems, such as domestic violence and rape, and recent developments in reproductive technology as they demonstrate the relevance of kinship and gender to students’ lives.

The sixth edition features discussion of cross-cultural examples complimented by expanded coverage of kinship and gender dynamics within the United States. Stone and King consider current evolutionary research on kinship and gender, and offer a new case study addressing foster parenting in the US. They also have included discussions on the changing definitions of kinship with sections on transgender people and pets as family members. The result is a broad and captivating exploration of anthropological approaches to family and gender.