fictive kinship
Let an agent explain fictive kinship and its forms across cultures, describe its social functions and study, present debates about the term with attribution, and support anthropological and sociological questions.
Bundle → Layer → Finding → Questions Filled
4 bundles · 8 layers · 8 findings · 16 questions
Understand What fictive kinship is.
Concept
Concept and forms.
Concept
Concept.
- What is fictive kinship, and what forms such as godparenthood, sworn siblings and chosen families exist? definition
- Which culture or form is meant? boundary
Term
The term and its critics.
Term
Term.
- Why do some anthropologists criticise the term fictive kinship, and what alternatives do they propose, with positions attributed? provenance
- Is the presentation respectful of the bonds described? boundary
Function Functions and contexts.
Support
Support and obligation.
Support
Support.
- What support, obligations and belonging do fictive kin provide across cultures, according to research? provenance
- Which entry fits a specific culture? action
Modern
Chosen families.
Modern
Modern.
- How do chosen families function in modern societies and communities, described in their own terms? provenance
- Which findings are contested? boundary
Law Religion and law.
Religion
Religious forms.
Religion
Religion.
- How do religious traditions define godparenthood and similar bonds in their own terms? provenance
- Which entry fits godparenthood? action
Law
Legal recognition.
Law
Law.
- How do laws recognise or ignore fictive kin in inheritance, care and immigration, in general terms? provenance
- Is legal advice being sought, which needs a professional? boundary
Learn History and teaching.
History
History.
History
History.
- How have forms of fictive kinship such as blood brotherhood and compadrazgo developed historically? provenance
- Which references are standard? provenance
Teach
Teaching.
Teach
Teaching.
- How can fictive kinship be taught in anthropology? action
- Which misconceptions arise? provenance
Classifiers Filled
- Family
- Thing Registry
- Category
- Cross-cutting context
- Entry kind
- thing
- Plane
- XCT
- Domain
- XCT.REL
What it is Filled
A form of kinship that is not based on blood or marriage but is socially recognised as kin-like, including godparenthood and compadrazgo, blood brotherhood, sworn siblings, adoptive and foster bonds outside formal adoption, milk kinship, honorary aunts and uncles, chosen families and kin terms used for close friends and community members; fictive kinship is studied in anthropology and sociology and provides support, obligation and belonging across cultures.
Why it exists Filled
Let an agent explain fictive kinship and its forms across cultures, describe its social functions and study, present debates about the term with attribution, and support anthropological and sociological questions.
Distinguishing features Filled
- Socially constructed
- Kin terms and obligations
- Culturally varied
- Support function
What robots and AI may and may not do Filled
Must not
- Treat fictive kin as less real or less important than blood kin.
- Conflate fictive kinship with legal adoption.
- Apply ethnocentric assumptions about family.
- Disclose details of a named person's chosen family without consent.
Only with a human decision
- Using fictive kin status in custody, care or inheritance decisions.
May
- Explain fictive kinship and its forms, such as godparenthood and chosen family.
- Describe its social functions with attribution.
- Present debates about the term itself.
Moral aspects Filled
- Chosen families are vital for many, including LGBTQ people; dismissal causes harm.
- Kin-like ties matter in care and grief but often lack legal recognition.
Who is affected
- Chosen families
- Godchildren and godparents
- Foster children
Owners Filled
Steward
Nobody: a social bond held by the people in it.
Links to other meta-models Filled
parent
- Q11666901 - registry parent class
related
- nominal kinship - category
- milk kinship - a specific form of fictive kinship
- In loco parentis - a legal parent-like relationship
- friendship - bonds that may become kin-like
What else AI and robots need to interact with it Filled
Identity and identifiers required Filled
- Vercy registry: vr.tr.fictive-kinship
- Wikidata: Q5446591 (https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q5446591)
Direct properties not applicable Not applicable
Not applicable
Plane XCT: no invented physical properties.
Recognition optional Filled
- Socially recognised kin-like ties
- Godparents, sworn siblings, chosen families, milk kinship
- Consanguineal kinship is by descent; affinal kinship is by marriage; legal adoption creates formal kinship
- Not physical; social relationships.
Capabilities and actions required Filled
- explain forms
- describe functions
- present debates
- support study
Hazards and failure modes required Filled
- Treating the term as implying falseness
- Conflating with legal adoption
- Ethnocentric assumptions about kinship
Standards and interfaces required Filled
- Religious rules for godparenthood
- Legal recognition of some fictive kin in family law
- No regulation of the concept
Context of use required Filled
- Kin-like bonds without blood or marriage.
- godparenthood and compadrazgo
- blood brotherhood and sworn siblings
- milk kinship
- chosen families
- honorary kin terms for friends and elders
Sources Filled
- Wikidata item Q5446591: fictive kinship - identity and sense of the item
- Wikipedia: Fictive kinship - general description of the item
Open questions
- Should godparenthood be a separate entry?
- How should anthropological sources be linked?
- How should legal recognition be documented?
Machine files
Provenance
thing registry research (pass 2) · unreviewed
Built from: models/things/publications/thing-q5446591/spec.json