House

In sociology, the term "house" can refer to several related concepts. It can denote a physical dwelling, but also the group of people who live together as a family or household. This household unit is significant in kinship studies, where it's examined in relation to residence rules, property, and inheritance.12

Historically, some societies have organized themselves around named "houses" that function like corporations, holding and passing down wealth and identity through inheritance. These "house societies" represent an intermediate form of social organization between kinship-based and class-based societies. The study of households also encompasses the developmental cycle of domestic groups, as families grow and change over generations, and considers the social meanings and functions of the house itself.2