doiSerbia

Gender affiliation and inheritance

Đorđević Jadranka Đ. (Etnografski institut SANU, Beograd)

Looking at the inheritance matter in the socialist period, the author concludes that it was based solely on gender. This paper explains the relationship between gender, inheritance, ownership and possessions among kinsmen in the Vranje district. During the socialist period so called customary law of inheritance (a right to inherit a deceased father, that is, a mother) was socially and legislatively accepted. The women from the Vranje district are aware of their unfair position in matters of inheritance, but also they know that even if they are to inherit a property they will not become equal to men. It is obvious that it was an illusion that a socialist organization with its legislative system (or any other, as a mater of fact) could establish the gender equality in inheritance and thus solve the dualism between the customary law and the law.

Keywords: inheritance, gender, law, customary law, socialism