Kinship systems

[Vidyasankar Sundaresan]

>I've heard this many times but is there is any published data on this ?
>More links on cross cousin marrieges,

Published data about what? That repeated generations of cross-cousin
marriages reduces genetic diversity? Or that the pattern of cross-cousin
marriage undergoes change over time?

The former is a simple matter of calculating numbers, based on what is well
known about genetics and statistics. The latter stands to reason.
People migrate; they lose large numbers in wars and famines; they
deliberately or otherwise adopt practices of other politically powerful
groups - all of which leads to cultural changes that may or may not be well
documented. Still, if there has been any study of these things, I'd like
references too.

Vidyasankar

ps. In Naga Ganesan's recent post, the word "ethnic" appears, to talk of
Aryan vs. Dravidian. In order to keep the discourse on track, may I point
out that "ethnic" is simply another word that attempts to bring race in,
through the back door?
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