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Trends in consanguineous marriage in Karnataka, South India, 1980–89

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  31 July 2008

A. H. Bittles
Affiliation:
King's College, University of London University of Michigan
J. M. Coble
Affiliation:
University of Michigan
N. Appaji Rao
Affiliation:
Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore

Summary

Analysis of data on 106,848 marriages in the cities of Bangalore and Mysore, South India, between 1980 and 1989 showed that levels of consanguineous marriage varied between cities through time and by religion. The average coefficient of inbreeding was higher in Bangalore (F = 0·0339) than in Mysore (F = 0·0203), principally reflecting large-scale, post-Independence rural migration into Bangalore. Although there was some evidence of a decline in consanguineous marriages in Mysore, there was no convincing support in either city for earlier projections of a rapid reduction in the popularity of unions between close biological relatives.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1993

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