Genetic markers of cousin marriage and honour cultures

Evolution and Human Behavior • Vol/Iss. 45(6) • ScienceDirect • • Published In • Pages: 1-11 •
By Campbell, Olympia L.K., Padilla-Iglesias, Cecillia, Fiorio, Gregory, Mace, Ruth

Abstract

This article explores whether the practice of cousin marriage helps explain the persistence of honor cultures and honor killings. The authors have hypothesized that cousin marriage can create kin benefits but also parent–offspring conflict, leading to the evolution of honor norms and punitive practices to enforce cousin marriages. Using genomic inbreeding coefficients as a proxy for historical cousin marriage across 52 ethnic groups, these practices are likely to enforce these marriages across regions within countries. The conclusion is that honor cultures may be rooted in kinship dynamics, particularly conflicts surrounding consanguineous marriage. Authors do raise evolutionary puzzle of why female victims are harmed by blood kin.

Samples

Sample Used Coded Data Comment
eHRAF World CulturesResearcher's ownUsed to fill missing data from Kinship Intensity Index when needed
D-PLACEOther ResearchersCousin marriage preference, polygamy, co-residence of extended families, lineage organization, and community organization
Demographic Health SurveysOther ResearchersUsed for second analysis, for within-country regional variation.
Pew Research CentreOther ResearchersSurvey Data collected between 2011-2016

Hypotheses (3)

HypothesisSupported
Honor-based violence is more likely to occur across ethnicities when there is a higher rate of inbreeding.Supported
Higher rates of cousin marriage are positively associated with honor-based violence against women across ethnicitiesSupported
Higher rates of cousin marriage are positively associated with honor-based violence against women across regions within countries.Supported
Documents and Hypotheses Filed By: jonathan.zhang