The impact of consanguineous marriageson the family's social mrelationships A field study of Balata village

This study examined the impact of consanguineous marriages on the family's social relationships in Balata village, situated east of Nablus in Palestine. It aimed to clarify the impact of the phenomena of consanguineous marriage on a family's social relationships in Balata village by revealing the influences that those married to relatives compared to those married to non-relatives are facing, on the one hand with regard to family stability (indicated by the circle of problem solving, kinship relations, and parents' control over family life), on the other hand, it examined these influences with regard to relationships with non-kin. The research population is made up of the inhabitants of Balata village, particularly married couples (both kin and non-kin): 400 families based on consanguineous marriage and 200 families based on non-consanguineous marriage. From these a deliberate sample of 20 consanguineous couples (20 males, 20 females) and 10 non-consanguineous couples (10 males, 10 females) were chosen, representing 5% of each group. Social network analysis is used as the research method most suitable for the nature of the research. It clarifies the nature of social relationships between relatives. Descriptive analysis is used to describe the impact of consanguineous marriage on familial social relationships. In order to realize the research aims, the researcher used open-ended interviews to collect data, using open-ended questions. The interviews comprised 48 questions from four areas: an area of crucial decisions, an emotional, a financial, and social area. The results of this study are the following: For consanguineous couples, no relationship was found between an increase/decrease of education levels, years of marriage, and gender, on the one hand, and the lack dependence on their relatives, on the other. Furthermore, the Variables do not effect on increase of intra-family relations, such as with the partner or children that explain the decline in family stability and high consanguineous relations, With regard to non-consanguineous couples no relationship was found between variables differences and the lack dependence on their own family, on the other. Furthermore, variables differences do not effect on increase of relations with kin that explain the increase in family stability and decrease of consanguineous relations, Concerning consanguineous couples, no relationship was found between variables differences and an increase of relations with non-relatives, such as friends, and no relationship was found between variables differences and an increase of dependence on themselves, that explain the decrease of non- relatives relations and decrease of dependence on themselves, With regard to non-consanguineous couples no relationship was found between variables differences and decrease of relations with non-relatives, and no relationship was found between variables differences and decrease of dependence on themselves, that explain the increase of non- relatives relations and increase of dependence on themselves. Based on the results of this study the researcher recommendations are: hold awareness workshops in Balata village to enhance ,family relationships ,and ,deal with family individuals ,and invite government and civil society associations to hold round table talks for consanguineous couples, to emphasize the importance of expanding the circle of social relations , as well as for non-consanguineous couples to emphasize the importance of balance between kinship relationships and other relationships; in addition to the importance of establish psychological counseling centers for consanguineous couples to train them to know how to solve their families problems . the research recommended to hold awareness counseling programs to consanguineous couples to enhance them to increase their families relationships, and to non-consanguineous couples to enhance them to interact with their relatives in a better way, and the importance to hold sessions for non- consanguineous couples concerned with the importance of kinship relations, and to consanguineous couples concerned with how to increase self-confidence, and not depend directly on their relatives only, in addition to invite researchers and institutions to make more research in the village, and focus on the most important influences on social relations resulting from consanguineous and non- consanguineous marriage. Key words: consanguineous marriage, marriage, Kinship, social relationships, family, Balata village, Anthropology (human science).