ABSTRACT

Representing a departure from traditional studies of social organisation, the book asserts that a kinship system is best understood as a system of concepts rather than as a set of empirical relationships. Three aspects of life in the Panamanian community of Los Boquerones are described
First published in 1976.

chapter 1|15 pages

The country, people and problem

chapter 3|17 pages

Economic organization

chapter 4|21 pages

God, the devil and the saints

chapter 5|22 pages

The individual

chapter 6|11 pages

The household

chapter 7|20 pages

The household and the elementary family

chapter 8|14 pages

From natal to conjugal household

chapter 9|24 pages

Forms of conjugal relations

chapter 10|20 pages

Conjugal instability

chapter 11|15 pages

Extra-domestic kinship and affinity

chapter 12|16 pages

Forming the ‘compadrazgo’

chapter 13|26 pages

The structure of ‘compadrazgo’