The theory of alliance (or general theory of the exchange) is the name given in France to the structural method of study of the relations of Parenté. It was exposed for the first time by Claude Lévi-Strauss in his work the elementary structures of the relationship , published in 1949. In this particular field of the studies of the relations of relationship, she is opposed to the functionalist theory defended inter alia by Radcliffe-Brown

Historical and scientific context

The theory of alliance constitutes the base of the Structuralisme in Anthropologie, which directed the major part of French ethnological work until in the years 1980. Indeed, if this current of thought were initiated in the field of the Linguistique in 1916, it is by publishing its thesis on the elementary structures of the relationship that Claude Lévi-strauss gave it to the last style in the years 1950. Consequently, most of the French scientific field was carried by its rise until in the years 1980. Indeed, neither psychology, nor philosophy could escape its powerful influence.

The theory of alliance itself was elaborate starting from the ethnographic study of non-European companies, where close relationships between Consanguinité and Affinité appeared. These two sometimes complementary and sometimes opposite institutions, gave places to a classification of the social universe by the matrimonial rules. Within this framework the assumption of the " appeared; marriage-alliance" , laying the stress on the inevitable interdependence of the various families, various chalk-linings. It is finally a form of communication which give us to see of anthropologies like Lévi-strauss, Louis Dumont or Rodney Needham.

Ultimately, one will include/understand well the power of such a theory for the anthropological discipline, whose object is precisely the study of the relations between individuals, who constitute the company what is called. Moreover it should be noted that it is not breathlessness which put an end to structuralism in anthropology, but much more the weight of criticisms which were brought to him.

The theory

The prohibition of the inceste: exchange and reciprocity

The theory has like base the Prohibition of the inceste: principle according to which, within a given company, a relative or a category of parents is for an individual prohibited with the marriage. To say it differently, it is a negative regulation relating to the marriage (I cannot not me marry with such or such of my parents), whose various forms of Exogamie are the social aspects. The prohibition of the sexual use of the girl or the sister constrained to give it in marriage to another man, and, at the same time, it creates a right on the girl or the sister of this other man. Thus, all the negative stipulations of prohibition have a positive counterpart. The defense is equivalent to a obligation : and the renunciation opens the way with a claim .

Lévi-Strauss, elementary strucures of the relationship, Paris, Sheep, 1967, 2nd edition, p.60

The idea is that of a reciprocal exchange with the base of the matrimonial alliance. The woman whom one refuses is offered, by knowing that n the other hand it me will be returned from there another, directly or indirectly. This total phenomenon thus takes the form of a circulation of the women which binds various social groups in a single unit: the company.

Elementary structures and complex structures

According to, the theory of alliance it exists two there model different from structures of exchange of the women:

is the women of my group are given to an explicitly definite group by the institutions. One speaks here about elementary structures .
is the collecivity of the possible couple for the women of my group is unspecified and always open , with the exclusion however of certain close relations, as it is the case in the Western company. One speaks here about structure complexes .

The prescriptive marriage of the elementary structures

In the companies with structure of elementary relationship, the marriage of an individual is defined as being either a spouse pertaining to a given group (such or such clan, chalk-linings), or a determined relative (the girl of the brother of the mother, or the girl of the sister of the father for example): the exogamy is thus there explicit .

It is thus within the elementary structures that one finds the “marriages of cross cousins” or “classes of prescribed cousins”. One however distinguishes two types there of exchanges of the women:

the restricted exchange where a group (A) will give a woman to the group (B) , which will return to him from there another immediately, i.e. without awaiting the following generation. This exchange is known as symmetrical , direct , and simultaneous . It is the case of the bilateral marriage.

the exchange generalized where a group (A) will give to the group (B) which will give to the group (C) which will give in its turn with the group (A) ; knowing that the participants can be variable, their unspecified number, essence being that each one is finally as well donor as receiver. This exchange is him on the other hand differed, because the loop can be closed only after several generations of exchange. This marriage “in circle” is known as differed , asymmetrical , direct or indirect . It is the case of the patrilatéraux marriages and the matrilatéraux marriages.

The “free” marriage of the complex structures

In company with structure complex, choice of spouse for individual is known as “free” (but it is not always the individual concerned which enjoys this freedom, and if it is the case it exists always various forms of social determinisms, economic, political, monks which come into play), except any time for a certain number of prohibited parents. The exogamy is thus prescribed here in an implicit way .

The atom of relationship

Posterior contributions with this structural theory

Contributions of Louis Dumont

In its two works concerning the studies of the relationship (1971, 1975), Louis Dumont brings back the practical application analyzes of Claude Lévi-Strauss on the elementary structures of the relationship, on its ground in India. It shows that in these companies based on the principle of Caste S, this structuralist theory takes all its direction: in particular at the local level.

It is one of these authors who has the first criticized the literal translations of the terms of relationship, while advancing that all do not have an equivalent from one culture to another. For example, which one understands by brother in the Occidental culture, can have a quite different direction elsewhere: for example to indicate the whole of the male individuals of the generation of Ego, with dimensions of the father or the mother.

Lastly, it gave an special attention to the concept of Consanguinité. It raises that all the individuals of a group are not necessarily biologically consanguineous, but that they are regarded as such. Louis Dumont works then on these reports/ratios which bind terminological consanguinity and filiation .

Contributions of Francoise Heir

Contributions of Rodney Needham

Criticisms

Feminist criticism

See too

Bibliographical references

DUMONT Louis, 1971, Introduction to two theories of anthropology. Group filiation and alliance of marriage , Paris it the Hague: Sheep.
-, 1975, Dravidien and Kariera. The alliance of marriage in India of the South and in Australia , Paris it the Hague: Sheep.
LÉVI-STRAUSS Claude, elementary structures of the relationship , 1947.

Relationship - Notation of the relationship - Alliance - Filiation - Germanité - Marriage - Family
Structuralism - Functionalism

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