Phratries and relationships between siblings throughout life: a sociological perspective
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https://doi.org/10.20336/rbs.755Keywords:
brothers and sisters, siblings, family, family relationshipsAbstract
Relationships between siblings only recently started to receive attention in Sociology, when compared with other dimensions of the family phenomenon that are already extensively studied. This article intends to be a contribution to counteract this trend and to show how this subject is worthy of a close sociological approach. The work is based on qualitative research composed of interviews, based on life history, with 32 subjects comprising siblings in nuclear families. In this study, a longitudinal perspective was adopted, spanning various stages of life (childhood, youth, and adulthood), which allowed to demonstrate the dynamism of these relationships throughout their life cycle, and their manifestation in adulthood. The article aims to answer two questions: a) what does it mean to be a sibling? b) how are siblings’ relationships characterized? The relations between siblings proved to be plural and complex, showing the relevance of five dimensions for their analysis: biological, normative, affective, statutory, and comparative. Based on subjects' narratives, it was possible to identify binding, companionship, and convenant relationships. The discussion raised in this article aims to provide elements and analytical tools with heuristic value for the analysis of this object.
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