Kinship and Incestuous Crime in Colonial Guatemala

Kinship and Incestuous Crime in Colonial Guatemala explores social relations in colonial Guatemala through the lens of incest, showing that incest codes were not homogenous and impacted the articulation of kinship and contributed to racialization. It demonstrates how the lens of incest can add further nuance to our understanding of social relations and explore social inequalities and culture change.

\n Format: Hardback
\n Length: 162 pages
\n Publication date: 02 September 2020
\n Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd
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Kinship and Incestuous Crime in Colonial Guatemala delves into the intricate web of social relations in colonial Guatemala by examining the phenomenon of incest. Through a comprehensive analysis of incest trials sourced from the Spanish secular courts, the study reveals that incest codes were not uniform in their application and that the various forms of incest were not equally condemned. Moreover, the incest codes and the criminal process played a significant role in shaping the articulation of kinship and contributed to the racialization of kin behavior. Colonial actors of diverse backgrounds, including officials, judges, and ordinary people, adeptly employed these distinctions to navigate various crises in their lives. The models of relatedness established within the context of incestuous crime foreshadowed changes in marriage regulations and perpetuated racial polarization after the country's independence from Spain.

Incest codes bring to light latent divisions within kin groups, providing individuals with diverse strategies for managing interpersonal relationships. They also serve as a rich field for exploring social inequalities and the mechanisms of cultural change. This book will captivate scholars and enthusiasts interested in Latin America, kinship studies, gender, and sexuality.

\n Weight: 390g\n
Dimension: 158 x 235 x 17 (mm)\n
ISBN-13: 9780367464424\n \n