household
Quick Summary
A household refers to a group of people who live together as a family in one house. This can include various family structures, such as a mother, children, and a grandmother.12
The concept of the household is also studied in anthropology, particularly in relation to kinship. Research has explored how marriage rules, property, and economic relations interact with residence and household structures. The developmental cycle of a household, from formation to division as generations grow and move on, has also been a focus of study. Anthropologists have examined how historical changes, gender roles, inheritance practices, and the symbolic division of space within a house contribute to kinship and social organization. In some societies, the "house" itself can be a significant social institution, functioning like a corporation that passes down wealth and identity through inheritance.3
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