The kinship system is the way in which relations between individuals and groups are organized, occupies a central place in all human societies.  Theodorson has defined Kinship as “a social relationship based upon family relatedness’. Kinship patterns have been influenced by a variety of factors, including cultural shifts, economic developments, technological advancements, and changes in legal and social norms.

Causes for change in patterns of Kinship Relations:

• Individualism and Nuclearisation: With the advent of modernity and urbanisation, there has been a shift from joint families to nuclear families. The focus has shifted from collective identity to individual identity. This has led to a weakening of kinship ties as people are more concerned about their immediate family rather than extended kinship relations. For example, in urban India, many people prefer to live in nuclear families rather than joint families due to job mobility and the desire for personal space.

• Changing Gender Roles: The traditional kinship system was largely patriarchal. However, with the rise of feminism and women empowerment, women are no longer confined to the domestic sphere. This has led to changes in kinship patterns as women are now considered equal partners in the family. For instance, in many Western societies, women have the right to inherit property, which was not the case in traditional kinship systems.

• Influence of Technology: Technological advancements like Assisted Reproductive Technologies (ART) have also impacted kinship relations. ART has led to new forms of kinship relations like surrogate motherhood and sperm donation. These technologies challenge traditional kinship norms as they separate biological and social parenthood.
• Changing Marriage Patterns: In many societies, there has been a shift from traditional arranged marriages to love marriages. This shift has resulted in a higher frequency of inter-caste and inter-religious unions, live -in relationship , serial monogamy etc. which were previously uncommon. These inter-caste and inter-religious marriages are instrumental in the formation of new kinship relations, as individuals from diverse social backgrounds come together in matrimony. Also William Goode says that  if the spouses are from different ethnic and social background, chances of divorce is increased.

• Influence of Law: Laws related to marriage, divorce, adoption, and inheritance have also shaped kinship relations. For example, the Hindu Succession (Amendment) Act, 2005 in India gave equal inheritance rights to daughters, which was a significant departure from the traditional patrilineal inheritance system

• Fictive kinship: New form of kinship patterns emerging due to weakening of kinship and familial bonds such as Fictive kinship. These kinship relationships aren’t based on blood relation or filial relationship. Rather they are based on social or economic considerations. E.g. Relationship with colleagues in work sphere or with milkman or grocery store owner

• Nowadays, kins don’t regularly meet. They meet on destination weddings or group trips. Kinsmen are now-a-days connected through social media such as Facebook or Twitter.
• Alternate institutions: various functions of family and kinship groups have been taken by alternative institutions. For example placement function is no longer performed by family and now it is taken over by other economic organisations. Similarly jural rights of kinship are taken away by formal judicial institutions. Education function is taken away by schools.

Effect of such changes

• R Cavens noted that decline in kinship relationships results in decline in influence of mechanical solidarity. It causes suicidal tendencies among individuals.
• Decline in kinship relationships results in decline in group Identity. It causes alienation and isolation. To deal with such issues, new organisations such as Cults , sects , communal or caste based associations are emerging in urban areas. These are new kinship systems.
• According to William Goode nuclear families today carry heavier emotional burden due to lesser integration with wider kinship group and such social units become relatively fragile.

Kinship relations are not static but dynamic. They change in response to socio-economic, political, and cultural changes in society. It is essential to understand these changing patterns in kinship relations to understand the changing social dynamics in societies.