Kinship in Neckarhausen, 1700-1870

Description

This work analyzes shifts in the relations of families, households, and individuals in a single German village during the transition to a modern social structure and cultural order. Sabean's findings call into question the idea that the more modern society became, the less kin mattered. Rather, the opposite happened. During "modernization," close kin developed a flexible set of exchanges, passing marriage partners, godparents, political favors, work contacts, and financial guarantees back and forth. In many families, generation after generation married cousins. Sabean also argues that the new kinship systems were fundamental for class formation, and he repositions women in the center of a political culture of alliance construction. Modern Europe became a kinship "hot" society during the modern era, only to see the modern alliance system break apart during the transition to the postmodern era.

First Sentence

During the three decades it took to put this study together, visions of Casaubon danced in my head, while all about me scholarly interest in population studies and in kinship analysis was on a steep decline.

Excerpt

During the three decades it took to put this study together, visions of Casaubon danced in my head, while all about me scholarly interest in population studies and in kinship analysis was on a steep decline.

Subjects

Other Editions

• Kinship in Neckarhausen, 17001870PaperbackCambridge University Press1997-12-13
• Kinship in Neckarhausen, 1700-1870Cambridge University Press1998
• Kinship in Neckarhausen, 1700-1870Cambridge University Press2010-01-01
• Kinship in Neckarhausen, 1700-1870Cambridge University Press2012-01-01