Overview

An essential guide to this major contemporary issue, Consanguinity in Context is a uniquely comprehensive account of intra-familial marriage. Detailed information on past and present religious, social and legal practices and prohibitions is presented as a backdrop to the preferences and beliefs of the 1100+ million people in consanguineous unions. Chapters on population genetics, and the role of consanguinity in reproductive behaviour and genetic variation, set the scene for critical analyses of the influence of consanguinity on health in the early years of life. The discussion on consanguinity and disorders of adulthood is the first review of its kind and is particularly relevant given the ageing of the global population. Incest is treated as a separate issue, with historical and present-day examples examined. The final three chapters deal in detail with practical issues, including genetic testing, education and counselling, national and international legislation and imperatives, and the future of consanguineous marriage worldwide.

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9781139015844

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Reviews

'... packed with carefully collated information, covering all aspects of consanguineous marriage ... The compilation is exhaustive, fascinating and rigorously discussed ... There is so much information here, but it is all relevant, well-validated, significant and stimulating ... amazingly comprehensive, and yet readable ... this book is exactly what is needed to clarify discussions and debates about consanguinity. It deserves to be influential in scientific, political and religious thinking.' BioNews (bionews.org.uk) '... a comprehensive, balanced overview of consanguinity ... this book treats consanguinity like a prism - turning the subject this way and that to capture different reflections, both positive and negative ... Packed with fascinating facts on the history of consanguinity, and statistics comparing practices and resources between countries, Consanguinity in Context makes for 'must read' material on a complex, often controversial, issue.' OrphaNews Europe 'I found Alan Bittles' book to be extremely fascinating. Bittles provides an eye-opening and exhaustive review of the political, religious, economic, social, and biological factors impinging on consanguineous unions. His goal for this work is well summarized at the end of chapter one: '... to provide an appropriately extensive framework of information within which the subject [of consanguineous unions] can be rationally and dispassionately evaluated'. Consanguinity in Context admirably fulfils this objective.' Jamie Schwendinger-Schreck, Yale Journal of Biology and Medicine 'This book is a treasure trove of information and anecdotes on consanguineous unions.' Elof Axel Carlson, The Quarterly Review of Biology 'Consanguinity in Context is a rich, well-structured, well-written, convincing, and in many details astonishing book recommendable for students as well as for scholarly work.' Anthropos Professor Alan H. Bittles offers the reader a comprehensive, balanced overview of consanguinity - including historical, legal, medical, socioeconomic, religious and geographical perspectives. Packed with fascinating facts on the history of consanguinity, and statistics comparing practices and resources between countries, Consanguinity in Context makes for 'must read' material on a complex, often controversial, issue. OrphaNews Europe I found Alan Bittles' book to be extremely fascinating. Bittles provides an eye-opening and exhaustive review of the political, religious, economic, social, and biological factors impinging on consanguineous unions. His goal for this work is well summarized at the end of chapter one: '... to provide an appropriately extensive framework of information within which the subject [of consanguineous unions] can be rationally and dispassionately evaluated'. Consanguinity in Context admirably fulfills this objective. Jamie Schwendinger-Schreck, The Yale Journal of Biology and Medicine This book is a treasure trove of information and anecdotes on consanguineous unions. Elof Axel Carlson, The Quarterly Review of Biology Consanguinity in Context is a rich, well-structured, well-written, convincing, and in many details astonishing book recommendable for students as well as for scholarly work. Anthropos

'... packed with carefully collated information, covering all aspects of consanguineous marriage ... The compilation is exhaustive, fascinating and rigorously discussed ... There is so much information here, but it is all relevant, well-validated, significant and stimulating ... amazingly comprehensive, and yet readable ... this book is exactly what is needed to clarify discussions and debates about consanguinity. It deserves to be influential in scientific, political and religious thinking.' BioNews (bionews.org.uk) '... a comprehensive, balanced overview of consanguinity ... this book treats consanguinity like a prism - turning the subject this way and that to capture different reflections, both positive and negative ... Packed with fascinating facts on the history of consanguinity, and statistics comparing practices and resources between countries, Consanguinity in Context makes for 'must read' material on a complex, often controversial, issue.' OrphaNews Europe 'I found Alan Bittles' book to be extremely fascinating. Bittles provides an eye-opening and exhaustive review of the political, religious, economic, social, and biological factors impinging on consanguineous unions. His goal for this work is well summarized at the end of chapter one: '... to provide an appropriately extensive framework of information within which the subject [of consanguineous unions] can be rationally and dispassionately evaluated'. Consanguinity in Context admirably fulfils this objective.' Jamie Schwendinger-Schreck, Yale Journal of Biology and Medicine

'... packed with carefully collated information, covering all aspects of consanguineous marriage ... The compilation is exhaustive, fascinating and rigorously discussed ... There is so much information here, but it is all relevant, well-validated, significant and stimulating ... amazingly comprehensive, and yet readable ... this book is exactly what is needed to clarify discussions and debates about consanguinity. It deserves to be influential in scientific, political and religious thinking.' BioNews (bionews.org.uk) '... a comprehensive, balanced overview of consanguinity ... this book treats consanguinity like a prism - turning the subject this way and that to capture different reflections, both positive and negative ... Packed with fascinating facts on the history of consanguinity, and statistics comparing practices and resources between countries, Consanguinity in Context makes for 'must read' material on a complex, often controversial, issue.' OrphaNews Europe 'I found Alan Bittles' book to be extremely fascinating. Bittles provides an eye-opening and exhaustive review of the political, religious, economic, social, and biological factors impinging on consanguineous unions. His goal for this work is well summarized at the end of chapter one: '... to provide an appropriately extensive framework of information within which the subject [of consanguineous unions] can be rationally and dispassionately evaluated'. Consanguinity in Context admirably fulfils this objective.' Jamie Schwendinger-Schreck, Yale Journal of Biology and Medicine 'This book is a treasure trove of information and anecdotes on consanguineous unions.' Elof Axel Carlson, The Quarterly Review of Biology 'Consanguinity in Context is a rich, well-structured, well-written, convincing, and in many details astonishing book recommendable for students as well as for scholarly work.' Anthropos

Author Information

Alan H. Bittles is Research Leader at the Centre for Comparative Genomics, Murdoch University and Adjunct Professor of Community Genetics at Edith Cowan University, Australia.

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