Cross-cousin

Cross-cousin Definition

In kinship theory, a cross-cousin describes first cousins whose parents are related by the opposite sex; specifically, it refers to individuals where the mother of one cousin is the sister of the father of the other. This classification highlights specific patterns of marriage within societies, as different cultures exhibit varying degrees of preference or prohibition regarding marriages between these related groups.

Theoretical Significance

The concept was introduced into anthropological discourse by Edward Tylor. However, it gained profound theoretical importance through the work of Claude Lévi-Strauss, who employed the study of cross-cousin relations to investigate the fundamental structures of kinship. For Lévi-Strauss, these structures are understood as the underlying rules that dictate societal preferences and prohibitions concerning marriage arrangements between parallel cousins and cross-cousins.