Seminar in der Kategorie Offizielle Lehrveranstaltungen
Erster Termin
Freitag, 21.10.2016 14:15 - 15:45
Voraussetzungen
Rivers W 1900 ‘A genealogical method of collecting social and vital statistics’ JRAI 30: 74-82
White D, Jorion P 1992 ‘Representing and analyzing kinship: a network approach’ Current Anthropology 33: 454-63
Leistungsnachweis
Studienleistung: Wird in der ersten Stunde bekannt gegeben
Modulleistung: Hausarbeit
The course will provide an introduction to concepts of mathematical network theory and their application to the anthropology of kinship.
The mathematical concepts introduced in the theoretical part of the course will include: the equivalence of networks and matrices; points, lines and cycles; dual spaces – the interchangeability of units and relationships; different kinds of relationship and how they can be combined; network distance; structural equivalence of network positions; and mapping.
Drawing on these concepts, the course will show how genealogical and marriage networks can be treated as consisting either of individuals linked by reproductive ties (as in socio-biology), or of family units linked by the transfer or co-presence of individual people (as in much classical kinship theory); and explore the relationship between kinship terminology
and network structure. It will show that the main differences between theories in the socio- biological, classical and new kinship traditions, concern the different ways in which they map kinship identity (with its implications of solidarity and incest avoidance) onto models of network structure.
Empirically the emphasis will be on methods of collecting and analysing network data. Important themes will include the respective roles of graphical presentation and formalanalysis; and of whole-community networks as compared with statistical samples of ego- centred networks; how best to incorporate data on practice; and when and how to include
data on relationships with non-kin. Issues of sampling, representativeness and response bias will also be addressed. Three computer programs will be described – PUCK. Pajek, and the Kinship Network Questionnaire.
