Kinship, since the 19th century, has served as a starting point for the establishment of the very science of anthropology. Throughout the 20th century, the debates regarding the nature and function of kinship reflect the tremors, theoretical rearrangements, and upheavals within this science.

Today, theoretical discussions about kinship are a subject of renewed interest, as they can provide answers to one of the main demands of our time, which is the understanding of the `Other`, however this is defined.

This book attempts a journey through the history of anthropological theory of kinship, and an analytical presentation of the theoretical currents that elevated kinship to a dominant analytical concept and a research field of pivotal importance for the development of epistemological models that have shaped the trajectory of anthropological science.

The analysis of the theoretical frameworks, structural principles, and methodological tools that anthropologists have developed in order to understand the structure and function of kinship systems highlights the divergences, confrontations, and interconnections between theoretical traditions, thereby demonstrating the different scientific orientations of the dominant theoretical currents, which also constitute different national schools.

[Excerpt from the text on the back cover of the edition]