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Sibling Relationships And Kinship

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Sibling relationships can greatly alter and shape one's character as they grow up alongside their brother or sister. A strong relationship with a sibling can lead to a lifetime of companionship that develops from a shared childhood and kinship group. In Cultural Anthropology A Toolkit For A Global Age, Kenneth J. Guest defines kinship as, “a system of meaning and power that cultures create to determine who is related to whom and to define their mutual expectations, rights, and responsibilities” (Guest 2016, 236). Kinship is what defines the relationships and responsibilities one has to others in their families, and these relationships can greatly shape one’s character over time. By interviewing Christina Frederking, the younger of two …show more content…

Kinship develops relationship meanings and responsibilities, and for Christina and her sister, one of those responsibilities is to help each other be the best they could be. Sibling relationships also tend to promote common interests as Christine discussed in regards to video games. Christine stated that her sister would always play video games which introduced her to them at a young age. Christina stated that over time gaming became “a good bonding opportunity.” Sibling relationships, like all other relationships, can be strengthened by common interests and Christina experienced that bond with her sister. In addition, Christina’s strong bond with her sister reflected the set of responsibilities held within their kinship. Christina and her sister both felt that they should help one another, which is why Christina helped her sister develop social skills and her sister helped
Christina make well-rounded decisions. Similarly, the book, The Anthropology of Sibling Relations, claims that there are three modes of establishing and maintaining sibling relationships: shared parenthood, experience, and exchanged care (Carsten 2013, 13). Christina’s relationship with her sister reflects how exchanged care is knitted into sibling relationships. In her kinship group, her and her sister both felt the urge to care for and help one another. Different kinships hold different responsibilities to one

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