avoidance of inbreeding in small huntr gatherer tribes

Indeed, several cultures permit certain types of cousin marriage while prohibiting other types of cousin marriage. The same texts permit marriage between second cousins if the man and woman are related in other ways. the man and woman have the same surname the entire chain of relationship consists purely of men). An extreme prohibition is found in certain texts in Hinduism, which forbid marriage until the degree of 6th cousin if the relationship is entirely Agnatic (i.e. Ĭonsonant with this cultural diversity, the attitude of various religions on the question of cousin marriage is also diverse. The diversity of attitudes towards cousin marriage, even within the same culture, has meant that its study features prominently in the field of anthropology, notably in alliance theory. However, in recent years, such marriages are often stigmatized in parts of the Western world. In western culture, they have been legal in most jurisdictions through most of history and were considered socially acceptable until the first half of the 20th century indeed, they were the norm in royal families, with Queen Victoria- Albert and William- Mary being two of numerous examples. In many cultures, only certain specific types of cousin marriages are permitted, while others are prohibited. They are particularly common in the Middle East, where in some nations they account for over half of all marriages. Marriages between first and second cousins account for over 10% of marriages worldwide. It may be considered ideal and actively encouraged, or uncommon but still legal, or considered incest and legally prohibited. The attitude towards such marriages varies considerably across cultures and legal jurisdictions. Charles Darwin and his wife Emma were first cousins.Ĭousin marriage is the marriage between people who share at least one grandparent.

Avoidance of inbreeding in small huntr gatherer tribes