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| === Incest and Marriage Rules === | === Incest and Marriage Rules === | ||
| It is commonly believed that all human societies have an "incest taboo". The most widely reported evidence for this is a cross-cultural study by Murdock of ''marriage rules'' and not sexual practices. | It is commonly believed that all human societies have an "incest taboo". The most widely reported evidence for this is a cross-cultural study by Murdock of ''marriage rules'' and not sexual practices. Anthropologists today are divided over whether the incest taboo is indeed universal, and if so, why. | ||
| The relationship between sexual and marriage practices is complex. Sociologists recognize that many societies distinguish between different sorts of prohibitions. In other words, although an individual may be prohibited from marrying or having sexual relations with many people, different sexual relations may be prohibited for different reasons, and with different penalties. | The relationship between sexual and marriage practices is complex. Sociologists recognize that many societies distinguish between different sorts of prohibitions. In other words, although an individual may be prohibited from marrying or having sexual relations with many people, different sexual relations may be prohibited for different reasons, and with different penalties. | ||
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| For example, Trobriand Islanders prohibit both sexual relations between a man and his mother, and between a woman and her father, but they describe these prohibitions in very different ways: relations between a man and his mother fall within the category of forbidden relations among members of the same clan; relations between a woman and her father do not. This is because the Trobrianders are matrilineal; children belong to the clan of their mother and not of their father. Thus, sexual relations between a man and his mother's sister (and mother's sister's daughter) are also considered incestuous, but relations between a man and his father's sister are not. Indeed, a man and his father's sister will often have a flirtatious relationship, and a man and the daughter of his father's sister may prefer to have sexual relations or marry. | For example, Trobriand Islanders prohibit both sexual relations between a man and his mother, and between a woman and her father, but they describe these prohibitions in very different ways: relations between a man and his mother fall within the category of forbidden relations among members of the same clan; relations between a woman and her father do not. This is because the Trobrianders are matrilineal; children belong to the clan of their mother and not of their father. Thus, sexual relations between a man and his mother's sister (and mother's sister's daughter) are also considered incestuous, but relations between a man and his father's sister are not. Indeed, a man and his father's sister will often have a flirtatious relationship, and a man and the daughter of his father's sister may prefer to have sexual relations or marry. | ||
| Anthropologists have pointed out that in the Trobriand case a man and the daughter of his father's sister, and a man and the daughter of his mother's sister, are equally distant genetically. |
Anthropologists have pointed out that in the Trobriand case a man and the daughter of his father's sister, and a man and the daughter of his mother's sister, are equally distant genetically. Therefore, the prohibition against relations is not based on or motivated by concerns over biological closeness. | ||
| Thus, although marriage between first cousins is forbidden in some contemporary jurisdictions it is both legal and acceptable in others. | |||
| '''References:''' | '''References:''' | ||
Revision as of 11:38, 31 May 2002
Incest generally refers to sexual relations between close family members, such as brother and sister. It is a criminal offence and an impediment to marriage in most modern countries, as well as being against most modern religions. The definitions of "close family member" and "sex" vary widely.
Prohibitions in the Hebrew Bible
The Hebrew Bible (The Christian Old Testament), contains prohibitions against sexual relations between various pairs of family members. Father and daughter, mother and son, et al., are forbidden on pain of death to engage in sexual relations.
Incest and Sexual Relations
In the United States and other industrialized countries,incest is generally used to refer to forbidden sexual relations within the family. Incest is most frequently a form of child sexual abuse committed by parents of both sexes. And while it is usually perceived as an act done by a father against his daughter, this is yet another myth surrounding the practice. It is widely, but by no means universally, agreed that incest by parents should be illegal. Some societies, notably India in the 1920s, consider incest an inescapable fact of life.
However, there is also the much rarer phenomenon of consensual incestuous relations between adults, such as between an adult brother and sister. This is illegal in most places, but these laws are sometimes questioned on the grounds that such relations do not harm other people (provided the couple have no children) and so should not be criminalised. Artificial insemination and distant adoption have compounded these problems. There are known cases of people having romances, or even marrying, only to later find out they are closely related.
In some societies some forms of sexual contact between close family members is encouraged. For example, one practice formerly common in Bali was for mothers to sexually stimulate infants.
Incest and Marriage Rules
It is commonly believed that all human societies have an "incest taboo". The most widely reported evidence for this is a cross-cultural study by Murdock of marriage rules and not sexual practices. Anthropologists today are divided over whether the incest taboo is indeed universal, and if so, why.
The relationship between sexual and marriage practices is complex. Sociologists recognize that many societies distinguish between different sorts of prohibitions. In other words, although an individual may be prohibited from marrying or having sexual relations with many people, different sexual relations may be prohibited for different reasons, and with different penalties.
For example, Trobriand Islanders prohibit both sexual relations between a man and his mother, and between a woman and her father, but they describe these prohibitions in very different ways: relations between a man and his mother fall within the category of forbidden relations among members of the same clan; relations between a woman and her father do not. This is because the Trobrianders are matrilineal; children belong to the clan of their mother and not of their father. Thus, sexual relations between a man and his mother's sister (and mother's sister's daughter) are also considered incestuous, but relations between a man and his father's sister are not. Indeed, a man and his father's sister will often have a flirtatious relationship, and a man and the daughter of his father's sister may prefer to have sexual relations or marry.
Anthropologists have pointed out that in the Trobriand case a man and the daughter of his father's sister, and a man and the daughter of his mother's sister, are equally distant genetically. Therefore, the prohibition against relations is not based on or motivated by concerns over biological closeness.
Thus, although marriage between first cousins is forbidden in some contemporary jurisdictions it is both legal and acceptable in others.
References:
- The Universality of Incest, by Lloyd deMause (http://www.psychohistory.com/htm/06a1_incest.html)