Abstract
Using a large dataset with individual-level demographic information of almost 60,000 families in contemporary Finland, we analyse the regional variation and cultural assortativity by studying the network between families and the network between kins. For the network of families the largest connected component is found to consist of around 1000 families mostly originated from one single region in Western Finland. We characterize the networks in terms of the basic structural properties. In particular, we focus on the k-cores and the presence of transitive triangles. Clustering in the networks is found to result from homophily by language and religious affiliations. The large network fragments appear to be small-worlds. We also compare the fragments in the kin network with respect to the average coefficient of relationship. The measures of assortativity are able to distinguish the families in terms of their regions of origin. Overall, we distinguish between two patterns of regional effects, the ‘metropolitan’ and the ‘cultural’ pattern.
Highlights
Human families include parents, children, grandchildren and lasting pair bonds between usually unrelated spouses, so that families typically encompass at least three family generations and two kin lineages [1]
We investigate the overall network characteristics of the connected components as well as the roles played by the following factors: (i) spatial proximity, as measured at a regional level, (ii) language preferences, as indicated by language (Finland has two official languages: Finnish and Swedish), (iii) genetic relatedness, as measured through assumed biological relatedness for kinships that result from the net
The families with linkages produce a set of connected components with the largest connected component (LCC) being made up of 957 families and 1211 links
Summary
Children, grandchildren and lasting pair bonds between usually unrelated spouses, so that families typically encompass at least three family generations and two kin lineages [1]. This complexity of familial ties allows for various kinds of associations between different extended families, for example, through marriage and intermarriage within a kin group. We investigate the overall network characteristics of the connected components as well as the roles played by the following factors: (i) spatial proximity, as measured at a regional level, (ii) language preferences, as indicated by language (Finland has two official languages: Finnish and Swedish), (iii) genetic relatedness, as measured through assumed biological relatedness for kinships that result from the net-
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