Lineal kinship organization in cross-specific perspective

Fortunato, Laura

doi:10.1098/rstb.2019.0005

Cited by 15 publications

(19 citation statements)

References 30 publications

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“…Because subsistence differences alter the possible divergence in men's and women's reproductive success, they have been tied to variation in kinship systems, whereby son-biased inheritance (patriliny) is favored when men's reproductive interests can be effectively supported, and female-biased inheritance (matriliny) when reproductive returns are greater via daughters than via sons (e.g., Cronk, 2000;Fortunato, 2012;Holden et al, 2003;Mattison, 2011). Matriliny is also frequently, though not exclusively, associated with female philopatry (matrilocality; Fortunato, 2019;Surowiec et al, 2019).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Gender Differences in Social Networks Based on Prevailing Kinship Norms in the Mosuo of China

Mattison¹,

MacLaren²,

Liu³

et al. 2021

Preprint

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Although cooperative social networks are considered key to human evolution, emphasis has usually been placed on the functions of men’s cooperative networks. What do women's networks look like? Do they resemble or differ from men's and what does this suggest about evolutionarily inherited gender differences in reproductive and social strategies? In this paper, we test the ‘universal gender differences’ hypothesis positing gender-specific network structures against the ‘gender reversal’ hypothesis that posits women's networks looking more 'masculine' under matriliny. Specifically, we ask whether men's friendship networks are always larger than women's and we investigate measures of centrality by gender and descent system. To do so, we use tools from social network analysis and data on men’s and women’s friendship ties in matrilineal and patrilineal Mosuo communities. In tentative support of the gender reversal hypothesis, we find that women's friendship networks in matriliny are relatively large. Measures of centrality and generalized linear models otherwise reveal greater differences between communities than between men and women. The data and analyses we present are primarily descriptive given limitations of sample size and sampling strategy. Nonetheless, our results provide support for the flexible application of social relationships across genders and clearly challenge the predominant narrative of universal gender differences across space and time.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Gender Differences in Social Networks Based on Prevailing Kinship Norms in the Mosuo of China

Mattison¹,

MacLaren²,

Liu³

et al. 2021

Preprint

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“…In non-human animals (hereafter, 'animals'), these domains of kinship mostly overlap (e.g. matrilineal inheritance is found alongside female philopatry), but this is not always the case in humans ( [6], see [7]). We thus advance a definition that may be applied across contexts and taxa.…”

Section: (A) Defining Matrilinymentioning

confidence: 99%

The expendable male hypothesis

Mattison

Quinlan

Hare

2019

Phil. Trans. R. Soc. B

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Matriliny is a system of kinship in which descent and inheritance are conferred along the female line. The theoretically influential concept of the matrilineal puzzle posits that matriliny poses special problems for understanding men's roles in matrilineal societies. Ethnographic work describes the puzzle as the tension experienced by men between the desire to exert control over their natal kin (i.e. the lineage to which they belong) and over their affinal kin (i.e. their spouses and their biological children). Evolutionary work frames the paradox as one resulting from a man investing in his nieces and nephews at the expense of his own biological offspring. In both cases, the rationale for the puzzle rests on two fundamental assumptions: (i) that men are in positions of authority over women and over resources; and (ii) that men are interested in the outcomes of parenting. In this paper, we posit a novel hypothesis that suggests that certain ecological conditions render men expendable within local kinship configurations, nullifying the above assumptions. This arises when (i) women, without significant assistance from men, are capable of meeting the subsistence needs of their families; and (ii) men have little to gain from parental investment in children. We conclude that the expendable male hypothesis may explain the evolution of matriliny in numerous cases, and by noting that female-centred approaches that call into doubt assumptions inherent to male-centred models of kinship are justified in evolutionary perspective. This article is part of the theme issue ‘The evolution of female-biased kinship in humans and other mammals’.

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“…One clear finding from the diverse set of included papers is that the labels used to describe kinship systems have constricted our thinking. For example, Fortunato [8] shows that, in humans, biases in investment toward matrilineal kin can exist even in societies that do not reckon descent. Yet, in anthropology, the term 'matriliny' and its derivatives (e.g.…”

Section: Significant Findingsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…For a more systematic comparison between human and non-human systems, we will need to align our terminologies more closely. Fortunato [8] explores some of these issues, and in this preface, we present some definitions that we propose will help scholars working on human and non-human systems compare their empirical cases more precisely.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The evolution of female-biased kinship in humans and other mammals

Mattison

Shenk

Thompson

et al. 2019

Phil. Trans. R. Soc. B

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Female-biased kinship (FBK) arises in numerous species and in diverse human cultures, suggesting deep evolutionary roots to female-oriented social structures. The significance of FBK has been debated for centuries in human studies, where it has often been described as difficult to explain. At the same time, studies of FBK in non-human animals point to its apparent benefits for longevity, social complexity and reproduction. Are female-biased social systems evolutionarily stable and under what circumstances? What are the causes and consequences of FBK? The purpose of this theme issue is to consolidate efforts towards understanding the evolutionary significance and stability of FBK in humans and other mammals. The issue includes broad theoretical and empirical reviews as well as specific case studies addressing the social and ecological correlates of FBK across taxa, time and space. It leverages a comparative approach to test existing hypotheses and presents novel arguments that aim to expand our understanding of how males and females negotiate kinship across diverse contexts in ways that lead to the expression of female biases in kinship behaviour and social structure. This article is part of the theme issue ‘The evolution of female-biased kinship in humans and other mammals’.

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Lineal kinship organization in cross-specific perspective

Cited by 15 publications

References 30 publications

Gender Differences in Social Networks Based on Prevailing Kinship Norms in the Mosuo of China

Gender Differences in Social Networks Based on Prevailing Kinship Norms in the Mosuo of China

The expendable male hypothesis

The evolution of female-biased kinship in humans and other mammals

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