About social institutions

1. Social Institutions
 A social institution is a group or organization that has
specific roles, norms, and expectations, which
functions to meet the social needs of society.
 The family, marriage, religion, government, education,
and media are all examples of social institutions.
 Social institutions are interdependent and continually
interact and influence one another in everyday society.
For example, some religious institutions believe they
should have control over governmental and
educational institutions.

2. Definition
 Bogardus – “A social institution is a structure of
society that is organized to meet the needs of people
chiefly through well-established procedures.”
 H. E. Barnes – “Social institutions are the social
structure & machinery through which human society
organizes, directs & executes the multifarious
activities required to society for human need.”

3. Characteristics of Social Institutions
 1. Structured and Organized
 Social institutions are organized systems with formal
and informal rules that govern behavior. They are
designed to achieve specific social functions, such as
education, law enforcement, or economic
production.
 Example: Schools have a structured curriculum,
schedules, and hierarchy (teachers, students,
administrators).

4.  2. Endurance and Stability
 Institutions persist over time and are relatively
stable, even as societies undergo change. This
durability ensures that they continue fulfilling their
functions across generations.
 Example: The institution of family, while evolving
in structure (e.g., nuclear, extended, same-sex
families), continues to serve as a primary source of
caregiving and socialization.

5.  3. Norms and Values
 Each institution operates based on specific norms
and values that guide acceptable behavior. These
norms create predictability and order in society.
 Example: Religious institutions emphasize moral
values such as honesty, compassion, and community
service.

6.  4. Roles and Status
 Institutions assign specific roles and status to
individuals, defining their responsibilities and
privileges within the system.
 Example: In the family institution, roles include
parents, children, and siblings, each with distinct
duties and expectations.

7.  5. Functional Interdependence
 Social institutions do not operate in isolation but are
interdependent, with each institution contributing to
societal stability. A change in one institution often
impacts others.
 Example: Changes in the economy (e.g., recession)
can influence the family (e.g., financial stress),
education (e.g., reduced funding), and healthcare.

8.  6. Adaptability
 Social institutions evolve to meet the changing needs
of society while maintaining their core functions.
 Example: Education systems have adapted by
integrating technology and online learning platforms
in response to globalization and digital
transformation.

9.  7. Control and Regulation
 Institutions regulate individual and group behavior
through formal mechanisms (laws, rules) and
informal mechanisms (social norms, peer pressure).
 Example: The government enforces laws, while
families enforce cultural norms like respect for
elders.

10.  8. Universality
 All societies, regardless of their level of development,
have social institutions to meet their basic needs.
However, the form and function of these institutions
may vary.
 Example: Marriage is a universal institution, but its
customs and practices differ across cultures.

11. Functions of Social Institutions
 Social institutions serve essential functions that help
maintain societal stability and address the needs of
individuals and groups.
 These functions can be broadly categorized into
manifest functions (explicit, intended purposes)
and latent functions (unintended, implicit
purposes). Here are the primary functions of social
institutions:

12.  1. Socialization
 Institutions like families and schools play a critical
role in transmitting culture, values, norms, and
knowledge to individuals.
 They prepare individuals to participate effectively in
society.
 Example: Parents teach children manners and
traditions; schools teach social norms and skills.

13.  2. Regulation of Behavior
 Social institutions establish rules and norms that
govern individual and group behavior, ensuring
societal order.
 They provide mechanisms for resolving conflicts and
enforcing conformity.
 Example: The government enforces laws, while
religious institutions promote ethical behavior.

14.  3. Provision of Resources and Services
 Institutions ensure the allocation of resources and
services needed for survival and well-being.
 These include food, shelter, education, healthcare,
and economic opportunities.
 Example: The economy distributes goods and
services, while healthcare institutions provide
medical care.

15.  4. Social Integration
 Institutions promote social cohesion by fostering a
sense of belonging and unity.
 Shared rituals, values, and practices strengthen
group identity and social bonds.
 Example: National celebrations (government),
communal worship (religion), and team sports
(education).

16.  5. Reproduction and Continuity of Society
 Institutions like family ensure the reproduction and
upbringing of the next generation.
 They transmit societal values, ensuring cultural
continuity.
 Example: Families teach language and cultural
traditions to children.

17.  6. Adaptation to Change
 Institutions adapt to social, economic, and
technological changes, ensuring societal resilience.
 They evolve to meet new challenges while
maintaining societal stability.
 Example: Educational systems integrate technology
to prepare students for modern careers.

18.  7. Protection and Security
 Institutions like governments and families provide
physical, emotional, and financial security.
 They establish systems to protect individuals and
groups from harm.
 Example: Police and military protect society, while
families offer emotional support.

19.  8. Legitimization of Power and Authority
 Institutions establish and justify systems of power
and authority to maintain order.
 They provide frameworks for decision-making and
leadership.
 Example: Governments enforce laws; religious
institutions often support moral and ethical
authority.

20.  9. Conflict Resolution
 Institutions provide mechanisms to mediate disputes
and resolve conflicts.
 These mechanisms prevent chaos and promote
harmony.
 Example: Courts resolve legal disputes, while
families mediate personal disagreements.

21.  10. Innovation and Cultural Development
 Institutions contribute to cultural development by
fostering innovation and creativity.
 Education and media promote new ideas, while
traditions are preserved and adapted.
 Example: Universities conduct research that drives
societal progress.

22. Family
 Definition
 The Family is a small group consisting ordinarily of
father, mother, one or more children and sometimes near
or distant relatives.
 The word ‘family’ has been taken over from Latin word
‘Famulus’, which means servant. Originally family
consists of a man, woman with a child or children and
servants.

23. M.F Nimkoff says that “Family is a more or less durable
association of husband and wife with or without child, or a
man or woman alone, with children.”
Eliot and Merrill: Family is “The biological social unit
composed of husband, wife and children.”
MacIver: Family is a group defined by sex relationship
sufficiently precise and enduring to provide for the
procreation and upbringing of children.
Francis. T. Brown: The basic unit of social structure in
every society is the family.

24. Theories regarding origin or evolution of family
Lewis Morgan’s Theory
 Lewis Morgan (1818-1881) in his book “Ancient Society” dealt
with family. He tried to find out the origin of human civilization in his
book. Morgan showed that did not exist from the beginning of human
life; rather it developed through a process of evolution.
 According to Morgan the original state of mankind was one of
sexual promiscuity. In this state unrestricted sexual relationship existed
among the men and women. The children born were the children of
whole community.

25. What are the different types of family found in the world?
On the basis of type of marriage
(a) Monogamous Family:
In this family, the married couple and their children stay. It is
formed on the basis of a single marriage.
(b)Polygamous Family:
When one male or a female marries more than one female or
male, a polygamous family is formed. This type of family is
neither common in modern societies, nor it bears the approval
of the society.

26. On the basis of descent and authority
(a) Matriarchal Families:
In such families the mother holds the major authority.
The mother and her family stay together and the family
name of the mother's side is given to her children. The
husband comes to stay with the wife's relatives.
(b) Patriarchal Families:
The authority in such a family lies with the father.
The wife goes to stay with her husband and his
relatives after their marriage. Children carry father's
name. The father holds the authority to take major
decisions.

27. On the basis of size
(a) Nuclear Family: It is also called primary
family. It refers to such families in which a
husband, his wife and their children stay
together.
(b) Joint Family:
It is also called extended family. Husband, wife,
their children and husband's relatives stay
together. Thus it is an association or group of
two or more nuclear families.

28. On the basis of community
(a) Rural Family:
A rural family may be defined as a group of persons
constituting a family which lives in an agricultural or
open country environment. It is generally characterized by
a relatively early age of marriage, high birth rate and low
divorce rate.
(b) Urban Family:
Such families generally dwell in cities. They have the
small size, higher age of marriage, secular outlook,
freedom of women and less attachment to traditions.

29. On the basis of orientation and procreation
(a) Family of Orientation:
This is the family in which an individual takes birth. In this
family along with the individual, his parents and siblings stay
together.
(b) Family of Procreation:
This is the family which an individual establishes or adopts
after marriage. This family comprises the individual, his wife
and children produced after marriage. Any individual can be a
member of either or both types of families.

30. On the basis of relationships
(a) Consanguineous Family:
It refers to those families in which blood relatives stay
together. In addition to husband and wife, other blood relatives
also reside and live in the family.
(b) Conjugal Family:
That family constitutes husband, wife and their children.
Such families are smaller in size and less stable. In such
families, the marriage based relations have more importance.
The emotional and affectional bonds between the members are
strong.

31. On the basis of religion:
(a) Hindu Family:
In this type of family, marriage is considered to be compulsory
and important ritual. Generally, it is monogamous family with
joint family system. Culture and traditions have important roles to
play in day-to-day life. The trend is now shifting from joint
family system towards nuclear family.
(b) Muslim Family:
Marriage is considered compulsory in this type of family also.
Mostly polygamous trend is seen in Muslim family. They are
quite orthodox and women are strictly kept in well and granted
very little or no freedom.
(c) Christian Family:
Monogamous families are a tradition in this community also.
Generally, nuclear families are found and boys and girls are given
equal importance and freedom.

32. On the basis of culture
In this respect, there are two types of culture, i.e., Western
culture and Eastern culture and on this basis the families also
can be classified.
(a) Families with Western Culture:
The Western culture gives equal status to men and women.
The work, the responsibilities and the rights are equally shared
between husband and wife. The families have nuclear set-up in
most cases.
(b) Families with Eastern Culture:
Mostly joint or extended families are found in this culture.
Rural families are common. Parents in old age are looked after
by the family. They are closely bound to their culture and
traditions.

33. Functions of a family
(1) Stable Satisfaction of Sex need: This is the Primary
and essential function of family. Sex instinct is the natural
urge of human being. The satisfaction of this need requires
that both male and female should live together as life
partners.
It is the family where the husband and wife can satisfy
their sex instincts easily and comfortably. Without family
the satisfaction of sex need is almost socially quite
impossible. A family not only satisfies but also provides the
appropriate mechanism through marriage to regulate sexual
behavior of husband and wife.

34. (2) Reproduction or procreation:
Reproduction or procreation is another
essential function of family. The family along
with regulating the sexual behavior in relation
to the satisfaction of sexual needs secures a
legitimate basis for procreation.
Since the inception of family, it has been
performing this fundamental function. This
function of family contributes to the continuity
of family and ultimately perpetuates the
human race as a whole.

35. (3) Protection and care of the young:
Protection and care of the children is another
essential function of family. It is regarded as an
institution par excellence for the production and
rearing of children.
It is true that no other institution can take
required care of the child like family. The child at
birth is complete helpless and cannot survive at
all without the help of the family. It is the family
which provides care, protection, security
(Physical, mental) and fulfills all other needs to
make him fit in the society.

36. (4) Socializing Functions:
Family is one of the primary agents of
socialization. Family members teach the child the
norms, value morals, beliefs and ideals of society.
In the family the children first learn what is good
and bad, what is right and wrong. They develop
specific habits, traits of character, attitudes and
values.
The senior members of the family pass the family
culture to the new generation thought socialization
process. Thus, family acts an instrument of culture
transmission.

37. (5) Provision of a home:
 Family makes a provision of a home or a
common habitation for its members.
 Here both husband and wife if live together for
procreation, protection and care of the children.
It is a place of multifarious activities. All the
members of the family depend on home for
comfort, protection and peace. It is that
institution which provides the mental or the
emotional satisfaction. Members of the family
exchange their love, sympathy and affection
among themselves

38. NUCLEAR FAMILY
 Definition
 According to Mitchell ,it can be defined as “a small
group composed of husband and wife and immature
children which constitute a unit apart from the rest
of the community.”
 It simple words, a nuclear family is one which
consists of the husband, wife and their children.

39.  After their marriage, the children
leave their parental home and
establish their separate household.
 It is an autonomous unit free from the
control of the elders.
 Since there is a physical distance
between parents and their married
children.

40. Recent trend in the modern nuclear family
 Its structure has changed ,its function have been
altered and its nature has been affected.
 Various factors-
social,economic,educational,legal,cultural,scientific,t
ecnological,etc.have been responsible for this.
 A few significant trends may be denoted:

41.  (1)Industrialisation:
 The Industrial Revolution of the 18th
century and the consequent birth of the
factory system of production affected the
economic functions of the family.
 (2)Urbanisation: Industrialisation
and Urbanisation very often go
together. Cities are growing in size
and in number. Family is cut to size.
Families are now the smallest .

42.  (3)Democratic Ideals:
 Democracy assures equality and provides liberty to
all, to women too. Women now play not only
domestic roles but also economic and political
roles.
 (4)The decline of the influence of mores
and the religious beliefs, and the spread of
secular attitude:
The religious function of the family have
diminished.

43.  (5)The spirit of individualism and romantic
love:
 Today it is widespread.
 (6)Economic independence of women:
 Employment opportunities
 Works in various office
 (7)Emancipation of women:
 Women are now liberated from the chain of
traditionalism.

44.  (8)Decline in birth rate:
 The size of family is becoming smaller.
 (9)Divorce:
 LOVE is no more sacramental. Love at first sight
and divorce at next is quite common.
 (10)Parent-Youth conflict:
 Interpersonal conflict increasing
 Generation gap

45. Functions of modern nuclear family
 (1) Stable satisfaction of sex need
 No other agency has been able to take up this task
to the satisfaction of the members.
 (2) Procreation and upbringing of children:
 The family is regarded as the proper authority to
produce children and to bring them up.

46.  (3) Socialisation of children:
 Social norms, values and ideals are picked up by
the child in the family only.
 (4) Provision of home:
 It is a happy place to live in both for parents and
their children.
 Other agencies such as hotels. hostels etc. may
provide shelter to the members but not the needed
love and affection.

47. The Joint Family
 Definition
 The joint family is also known as ‘individual family’
and sometimes as ‘extended family’.
 Its normally consists of members who at least belong
to the three generations: husband and wife. their
unmarried children, and their married as well as
unmarried grandchildren.

48.  The joint family is one which consists of members
related through blood and spread over several
generations living together under a common roof
and work under a common head.

49. Characteristics of Joint Family
 1. Depth of generation:
 Three or more generations
 2. Common roof
 regular contract, discuss educational and
employment problem.
 3. Common kitchen:
 Normally eldest female members supervises the
work at the kitchen. Women serve the food to men
first

50.  4.Common worship:
 Members of the family take part in common
worship, rites and ceremonies.
 5.Common property:
 The head of the family manages the family
property like a trustee.
 6.Exercise of authority:
 Eldest male member commands others.

51.  7.Arranged marriages:
 8.Procreation:
 9.Indentification with obligations towards
the family:
 Every members has his own duties and obligations
towards the family.
 The senior most member of the family acts as the
guide for other members.
 10. Self sufficiency:
 It used to meet the economic, recreational, medical,
educational and other needs of the member.

52. Merits of Joint Family
 1.Stable and durable
 2.Ensure economic progress
 Basic needs-food ,clothing and shelter a first
condition of economic progress.
 It prevents the sub-division and fragmentation of
land-holdings and helps scientific farming.

53.  3.Ensure economy of expenditure
 No single member has an absolute right in family
property.
 4. Secures the advantages of division of labour
 The work is distributed among the members on the
basis of age and sex.
 5. Serves as a social insurance company
 For the people such as orphans, widows, the deserted,
divorced the joint family serves as a social insurance
company. It gives them food, shelter and protection.

54.  6.Provide social security
 In times of accident, crises and emergencies one
can rely on one’s joint family for the needed help.
 7.Provided leisure
 Work is shared by all the members on the basis of
age, sex, experience, they get more leisure time.
Woman are the main beneficiaries of leisure.

55.  8. Provides recreation also
 Childish play between the too aged and the little
babies, the funny talks of the old.
 9. Helps social control
 The joint family by exercising control over the
behaviour of its member acts as an agency of social
control.

56.  10. Provides psychological security
 11. Promotes cooperative virtues
 Joint family is said to be the breeding ground of
love, self help, cooperation, tolerance, discipline,
loyalty, sacrifice virtues of life.

57. Demerits of Joint Family
 1. Retards the development of personality
 The joint family does not provide enough scope for
the members to develop qualities of adventure, self-
determination, industriousness, etc. The elder once
take up too many responsibilities and the younger
ones are overprotected.

58.  2.Damage individual initiative and
enterprise
 The joint family does not provide proper
opportunities for the members to develop their
talents.
 Any new enterprise or adventure on the part of the
young people is discouraged by the head of the
family.
 3. Narrows down loyalties
 Joint family makes the members to develop
narrow-mindedness.

59.  4. Promotes idleness
 The joint family is said to be home of idlers and
drones.
 5. Not favourable for savings and investment
 There is no inspiration for the accumulation of
capital and investment.
 6. The centre of quarrels
 The joint family is said to be hotbed of quarrels and
bickering especially among the womenfolk.

60.  7. Denies privacy
 Since the joint family is always overcrowded,
privacy is denied to the newly wedded couple.
 They rarely get opportunities to talk about their
personal matters. Hence they fail to develop
intimacy.
 8. Affects Socialisation of children
 Due to the lack of intimacy and privacy between
the husband and wife, the socialisation of children
is affected very badly.

61.  9. Undermines the status of women
 They are made to work like servants. They are not
given sufficient freedom to express and to develop
their personality.
 10. Encourages litigation
 Normally disputes over the common property crop
us at the time of partition.
 11. Favours uncontrolled reproduction
 Higher birth rate

62.  12. Limits social mobility
 The joint family is said to be more conservative in
nature.
 13. Encourages nepotism
 Some are the opinion that the joint family is the
root cause of nepotism and discrimination.

63. THANK YOU ALL

64. Marriage
 Marriage is one of the universal social institutions.
 It is established by the human society to control and
regulate the sex life of man.
 It is closely connected with the institution of family.
 DEFINITION
 There is no definition which adequately covers all
types of human marriage.

65.  Malinowski says that marriage is a “contract for
the production and maintenance of children”
 According to Robert H. Lowie, “Marriage is a
relatively permanent bond between permissible
mates.”
 Alfred McClung Lee writes, “Marriage is the
public joining together, under socially specified
regulations of a man and woman as husband and
wife. ”

66. Characteristics of Marriage
 1. Universality:
 Marriage is more or less a universal institution. It is
enforced as a social in some of the societies.
 Examples: In Japan, celibacy is publicly condemned.
 In Korea , unmarried individuals are called “half
persons.”
 Among the Hindus, marriage is a sacrament which is
regard as more or less obligatory.

67.  2. Relationship between man and woman
 Marriage is a union of man and woman.
 Who should marry whom?
 3. Marriage bond is enduring
 Marriage indicates a long lasting bond between the
husband and wife.
 Marital relationship between man and woman
lasts even after the sexual satisfaction is obtained.
 The Hindus, for example, believe that marriage is
a sacred bond between the husband and wife
which even the death cannot break.

68.  4. Marriage requires social approval
 A union of a man and woman becomes a marital
bond only when the society gives its approval.
 5. Marriage is associated with some civil or
religious ceremony
 Marriage gets its social recognition through some
ceremony. This ceremony may have its own rites,
rituals, customs, formalities, etc.

69.  6. Marriage crates mutual obligations
 Marriage imposes certain rights and duties on both
husband and wife. Both are required to support each
other and their children.

70. Functions and Importance of Marriage
 The importance of marriage consists in the functions
that it performs. The main functions of marriage are as
follows:
 1. Regulation of sex life
 Marriage is the powerful instrument of regulating the sex
life of man. Marriage is often called the licence for sex
life.
 It prohibits sex relations between the closest relatives,
that is , between father and daughter, mother and son,
brother and sister, etc.
 Marriage also puts restrictions on the premarital and
extra-marital sex relations.

71.  2. Marriage leads to the establishment of the family
 Sexual satisfaction offered my marriage results in self-
perpetuation. It means marriage insists on the couple to
establish a family of procreation.
 3. Provides for economic co-operation
 Marriage makes division of labour possible on the basis of
sex. Partners of marriage distribute and divide work among
themselves and perform them.
 Even in the modern industrial societies, we find husband
and wife working outside the family to get more income to
elevate their economic status.

72.  4. Marriage contributes to emotional and
intellectual interstimulation of the partners
 Marriage brings life-partners together and helps
them to develop intense love and affection towards
each other.
 5. Marriage aims to social solidarity
 Marriage not only brings two individuals of the
opposite sex together but also their respective
families, groups and kindreds.

73. Forms of Marriage
 The main forms of marriage are:
Polygyny
Polyandry
Monogamy
Group Marriage

74. Polygyny
 Polygyny is a form of marriage in which one man
marries more than one woman at a given time.
 Polygyny is more popular than polyandry but not a
universal as monogamy.
 It was in practice in most of the ancient civilisations.
 Such as Eskimo tribes, African Negroes, Gonds and
Baigas of India. However, it is permitted in Muslim
community.

75. Types of polygyny
 Sororal polygyny
 Non- Sororal polygyny
 Sororal polygyny is a type of marriage in which
the wives are invariably the sisters. It is often called
‘sororate’. The Latin word ‘Soror’ stands for sisters.
 The death of the wife or her childlessness is
compensated by supplying a new spouse who is
generally the younger sister of the deceased woman.

76.  Non- Sororal polygyny
Non- Sororal polygyny as the term
indicates, is a type of marriage in which
the wives are not related as sisters.

77. Causes of Polygyny
 1.More woman less men
 2.Economic advantage
 African tribes such as Longos and the Thongas.
Sometimes first wife compels the husband to go for
second marriage so that she can reduce her load of
work at home.
 3.Women as badges of distinction
 Among some tribals, as mans social status is often
measured in terms of the number of wives that he has.
Greater the number of women greater is the prestige.

78.  4. Childlessness of the first wife
 5.Constancy of sex urge in man
 Unlike the woman, man is susceptible to sex
stimulation throughout the year.
 6.others factors:
a.Taste for variety:
Men go after several women for they have a taste
for variety.

79.  b. Enforced celibacy
 Sex relation with a woman during her menstrual,
pregnancy and lactation periods are tabooed.
 C. Earlier ageing of the female
 Among some tribes men marry more women
because, they believe that ageing is faster in women.

80.  d. Desire to more children
 e. Women Enjoyment
 Captured women in war and fights are normally
taken and enjoyed by the victorious men as their
additional wives.
 f. Masculinity
 Men may also marry more women to establish their
masculinity.

81. Polyandry
 Polyandry is the marriage of one woman with
several men. It is much less common than
polygyny.
 It is practised among the Tibetans, the bhama of
Africa etc.
 Types of Polyandry
 Fraternal Polyandry
 Non- Fraternal Polyandry

82. Fraternal Polyandry
 When several brothers share the same wife, the
practice can be called alelphic or fraternal polyandry.
 Non- Fraternal Polyandry
 In this type, the husband need not have any close
relationship prior to the marriage. The wife goes to
spend some time with each husband.
 Tibetans too have this type
wife sharing or wife lending
But in all cases it is temporary.

83. Causes of Polyandry
 Scarcity of women
 Desire to keep property intact
 Heavy bride price
 Poverty
 Sterility of men

84. Monogamy
 Monogamy is the form of marriage in
which one man marries one
woman.
 This is the most widespread form of
marriage found among the primitives as
well as the civilised people.
 Hindus regarded monogamy as the most
ideal form of marriage.

85. Advantages of Monogamy
 1. Universally practicable
 2. Economically better suited
 Only a rich man can maintain a couple of wives and
their children. Only monogamy can adjust itself with
poverty.
 For example, even though Koran permits a Muslims
to have four wives at a time, no ordinary Muslims
can think of marrying four wives for the simple
reason that he cannot maintain them.

86.  3. Promotes better understanding between
husband and wife
 Monogamy produces the highest type of love and
affection between husband and wife.
 It contributes to family peace, solidarity and
happiness.
 Vatsayana, an authority on “Kama Sutra” remarked,
“ At best a man can only please one woman
physically, mentally and spiritually.”

87.  4. Contributes to stable family and sex life
 More stable and long lasting
 Free from conflicts
 There is no scope for sexual jealousy
 5. Helps to better socialisation
 Husband and wife are better understanding, they can
give greater attention to the socialisation of their
children. Children are well looked after and the
parents can give their social attention to them.

88.  6. Aged parents are not neglected
 7. Provides better status for women
 Women enjoy better social status.
 In modern societies they enjoy almost equal social
status with men.

89. Group Marriage
 Theoretically group marriage means the marriage of two
or more women with two or more men.
 But this arrangement is practically rare.
 Here the husband are common husbands and the wives
are common wives.
 Children are regarded as the children of the entire group
as a whole.
 Children call men of such group their fathers and all the
women their mothers.
 Some of the tribals in Australia, India, Tibet and Cylon
are believed to have practised group marriage.

90. Marriage restrictions or rules of marriage
 Rules regarding, “who should marry whom”
 Endogamy and Exogamy are the two main rules that
condition marital choice.
Endogamy
 Endogamy is a rule of marriage in which the life
partners are to be selected within the group. It is
marriage within the group, and the group may be
 caste, class, tribe, race, village, religious group, etc.

91. Exogamy
 Exogamy is almost the opposite of endogamy.
 Exogamy is rule of marriage in which an individual
has to marry outside his own group.
 It prohibits marrying within the group.