The vast majority of members of the TML come from Western
European-derived backgrounds, postindustrialization, where the primary
kinship structure is that of the nuclear family, or possibly the
extended family. Many are well-read enough to be aware of the existence
some other structures, and possibly have a basic idea of what those
structures are. This posting is intended as a brief overview of kinship
structures, some of which are real-world, others documented in fiction.
It is not intended to be an exhaustive list, or to present a
comprehensive view of any individual structure; it is merely a starting
point for one's own efforts to flesh them out, or for further research.
Recommended reading: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kinship

1. Nuclear family: Familiar to most listmembers, the nuclear family is a
two-generation, close-consanguinuity structure: parents and children.
The parents are related by marriage or a similar partnership agreement;
the children are related by blood (direct descent) from both parents.

2. Extended family: Additional generations and/or avuncular
consanguinuity are added to the nuclear family.

2a. 'Lines' or 'Lineages' is used here, somewhat inaccurately, to refer
to a group of families that, over the course of several generations,
maintain a single name and traceable blood relationship. All of the
currently-living members of a line can be collectively viewed as a
'hyperextended' family.

3. 'Clan' is a badly-defined word, used for many structures that are
only superficially similar. The superficial similarity can generally be
described as 'a set of nuclear and/or extended families that may not be
closely consanguinous in the currently-living generations, but which all
claim descent, either actual or fictive ('stipulated'), from a 'founding
member' or 'apical ancestor'. See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clan
(especially links to specific instances), but also see specific
instances, following.

3a. The canonical example is that of the Scottish clans. Actual or
stipulated blood ties to the Chieftain of the clan is not necessary;
families that look to the Chieftain's family for protection or other
solidarity ('septs') are considered members of the clan, and subject to
the Chieftain's authority. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scottish_clans

3b. In the Liaden Universe® by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller, Liaden
society is organized around what are called clans. Membership is not
universal; there are lines that are not known to be incorporated into
clans. In general, a clan consists of two lines, collectively exogamous
in the general case (but under certain circumstances ['lifemates']
endogamy within the clan but across lines may be accepted). A mutual
common ancestor to both lines is not required; rather, it is
acknowledged that the lines are separate and that the founding of the
clan was a conscious act between apical ancestors of each line.
Recommended reading: see the books listed at
http://www.baenebooks.com/c-65-liaden-universe-series-by-sharon-lee-and-stever-miller.aspx
and
http://www.baenebooks.com/c-183-liaden-universe-collection-by-sharon-lee-and-stever-miller.aspx

3c. In the Jao Empire series by Eric Flint and K.D.Wentworth, the Jao
/kochan/ is actually a fairly good match for the technical definition of
'clan', though there are strong indications that rather than a single
apical ancestor, they claim descent from a small group. /Kochan/ are
strictly endogamous, and there are facial markings of genetic origin
that the knowledgeable observer can associate with specific /kochan/.
The Jao also have a structure called a /taif/ that is functionally
identical to a /kochan/, but lacks the experience to self-manage within
Jao society. A /taif/ is under the sponsorship of a /kochan/, but will
eventually become a /kochan/ in its own right, affiliated with the
/kochan/ that sponsored it.  Recommended reading: see the books listed
at
http://www.baenebooks.com/c-169-jao-empire-by-eric-flint-and-kd-wentworth.aspx

3d. The Luriani familial /ami/ (the term is also used for e.g., the crew
of a ship) appears to be a hybrid structure similar in some ways to the
Liaden clan, and in other ways to something that partakes of some of the
elements of both the nuclear family and the extended family. Recommended
reading: Mongoose Publishing, Minor Alien Module 1: Luriani
http://rpg.drivethrustuff.com/product/107917/Minor-Alien-Module-1-Luriani,
Freelance Traveller, /Funny Fish/
http://www.freelancetraveller.com/features/stories/funnyfish/index.html

4. 'House Societies' are difficult to explain; it is perhaps the best
course to refer the reader to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/House_society
for an explanation. Some discussion of uncertain canonicity suggests
that elements of this model are present in the Vilani 'caste' system.

5. Caste: Key elements of the definition of caste are social
stratification, limited or nonexistent mobility, endogamy (usually
mandatory), and ritual inclusion/exclusion based on notions of
purity/pollution. The Vilani so-called caste system does not appear
canonically to have the two latter features, though some canonical
material suggests that the first two are strongly present. Start with
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caste, and search the web for Vilani with
other keywords that would tend to limit the search to Traveller-related
pages.

6. Tribe: Weakly consanguinous, may be either exogamous or endogamous.
Common ancestor may not be acknowledged, or may be fictive (e.g. divine
or animal descent). Often strongly associated with place, and may
consist of several units generally described as clans, but usually more
like hyperextended families. The Biblical "Twelve Tribes of Israel"
would, given their ostensible origin, be more accurately described as
'clans' in the technical sense. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tribe

--
Jeff Zeitlin, Editor
Freelance Traveller
    The Electronic Fan-Supported
    Traveller® Fanzine and Resource

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