Kinship and modernization in developing societies: The emergence of instrumentalized kinship

This paper deals with the impact of modernization on kinship structure in developing societies. The data are based on a synthesis of secondary sources and a field study conducted among the Arab population in Israel. Our analysis shows that the kinship structure has survived and, in some aspects, has even been reinforced in the wake of modernization. However, processes connected with individual modernization have changed the nature of kinship organization and the dynamics of the interaction between individuals and their kinship group. They have led to the emergence of 'instrumentalized kinship', based on pragmatic needs rather than traditional ideological commitments.