"A SOCIETY WITHOUT FATHERS OR HUSBANDS": Maggie Gallagher
This is actually considered a form of marriage by anthropologists and really not such an uncommon one: "weak" marriage systems in which the woman and her children continue to live with her family and the father role is split between the biological father and the mother's brother, who takes on a fair amount of socializaiton responsibilities, esp. for his sister's sons (who are often his heirs in these family systems).
It raises interesting philosophical questions though: How do you recognize a particular social institution as a "marriage"?
posted by Eve at
8:06 PM | Link |
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