Question

Pooja cut all ties from members of her extended family for two decades due to a feud. When her maternal grandmother passed away, her maternal aunts Rati and Ratna along with their sons Surya and Vikram reconnected with her. At first, Pooja was reluctant to renew ties with them. But she decided to revive her relationship with her family members after being encouraged by her husband, Vinod.

Briefly discuss the term degree of kinship. What are the different degrees of kinship evident in the above case?

Answer 1

The degree of kinship refers to how closely an individual (ego) is related to other family members. It shows the level of closeness through blood relations (consanguine) and marital relations (affinal).
There are three degrees: Primary, Secondary, and Tertiary.

Degrees of kinship in the case of Pooja

1. Primary Kin: These are the closest relations, directly connected to ego through marriage or blood.
   Example: Husband Vinod
2. Secondary Kin: These are next-level relations of one’s primary kin, such as grandparents, aunts, and uncles.
   Example: Maternal grandmother, maternal aunts Rati and Ratna
3. Tertiary Kin: These are more distant relatives, kin of one’s secondary kin, such as cousins.
   Example: Cousins Surya and Vikram