Abstract
This paper looks at several theories of the social and familial causes of incest, primarily in western patriarchal society. The paper also examines the social and cultural taboos against incest and briefly discusses some of these theories. Predominant factors believe to contribute to incest are emotional and social imbalances in the perpetrator and other family problems as well as socioeconomic status.

From the Paper
"Incest is a very difficult subject for many people, because of the social taboos that it forces us to address, and often because of fears and past history many people have had. Some scholars believe that there are concrete biological arguments against incest, and that the social and cultural taboos against incest reinforce these biological imperatives. For these reasons it is important to understand what the social contributors to incest might be and why they can be so traumatizing to an individual and a society. The development of incest taboos has been linked by such authors as Seligman and Levi-Strauss to the advancement of societal norms that allow for better functioning family groups which are in turn necessary for the advancement of the larger society (Vander Mey & Neff, 1986, p. 24). "

Tags:incest, social, family

Abstract
This paper looks at a case of incest. Having the strength to survive and to carry on with life is discussed in this paper. The writer discusses what kind of counseling and therapy is appropriate for the victim. The writer looks at the victim, who now wishes to confront her mother and father for the incest she suffered at the hands of her grandfather. In this case, the writer reveals that the man molested all 16 of his granddaughters as well as his own daughters.

From the Paper
"A person struggling with the issues of incest has already lived through the most difficult part of the problem, the abuse itself and having survived against tremendous odds, they are in a position to move on with their lives and put the past behind them. If every survivor of incest has one important quality, strength and with the added quality of understanding what it takes to heal, the strength will lead them to the determination to overcome their past and live for the future. In this case there was ... "

Tags:incest, counseling

Abstract
This paper identifies the key social and psychological consequences of incest, as well as physical problems encountered by children and adults. The paper focuses on the long-term psychosocial effects of incest, including impact on a child's sexual development, depression and suicide ideation.

From the Paper
"According to Tharinger, both knowledge and theory about the impact of sexual abuse on the developing sexuality of children are meager. This is due in part to the fact that child sexual abuse and childhood sexual..."

Tags:incest, child sexual abuse, psychological disorders

Abstract
In this article, the writer discusses that while a wealth of scholars have investigated the role that the incest taboo has played throughout history, no one has ever arrived at a satisfactory conclusion as to why incest continues to both repel and fascinate. The writer maintains that part of the reason is that, despite all the research, the exact origins of the incest taboo cannot be located. The writer notes that while it is believed by some that incest is secretly desired by the vast majority of the population, others claim that it conflicts directly with the laws of nature, and is thus naturally avoided. Thus, the two-fold nature of the incest taboo is established. The writer maintains that the law against incest is a natural one that is rooted in taboos, that spring out of disgust with regards to the act. The writer concludes that this is a persuasive theory, in that it explains why incest continues to be viewed as taboo in human cultures around the world.

From the Paper
"While Frazer would also assert, on the psychological level, that disgust prevents people from committing acts of incest, Freud would come to disagree. In his legendary work Totem and Taboo, Freud addressed incest from the standpoint of the Oedipal complex. In Freud's conception of the origins of the incest taboo, in primitive societies, the strongest man of a tribe would possess all of the females in the tribe personally. Eventually, this man would be overthrown by other male members of the tribe, who, jealous of his power and sexual relations with the women, would kill and eat him. They thus had no problem with having sex with women whom their fathers had also had sex with. Shortly after killing the father, however, they would begin to feel guilty. For this reason, they came to form the notion that it was wrong to have sex with one's sister or mother - and enforced this as a rule. Freud feels that people are naturally attracted to the opposite sex of their parents, but prevent themselves from making a move thanks to well engrained social and cultural taboos against incest, as they developed in the scenario above."

Tags:sex, family, roles, customs

Abstract
This paper outlines the issues related to incest as a social taboo with reference to the Jewish, Native American and Malagasy cultures. The paper attempts to identify what is wrong with the practice of incest. The paper points out that incest does not have one common level between different cultures and the practice while considered illegal and immoral in some places, may be perfectly acceptable in others.

Contents:
Definition of Incest
Modern Prohibition
Jews
Native Americans
Malagasy
Advantages and Disadvantages
American Culture Compared
Conclusion

From the Paper
"Modern day society in western culture prohibits marriages within the inner group where the parents are considered to belong to the same genes night trigger genetic defects in their children. Most societies condemn incest or marriage within the same circle especially children from the same parents or brothers and sisters etc. This incest taboo is considered to be too close and might result in genetic deformity. There are few cultures in the world today that condone incest taboo the reason being that modern theories consider the psychological and the sociological effects of such unions are too great to be ignored."

Tags:family, marriage, religion, jewish, america, law, freud

Abstract
In this article, the writer introduces, discusses and analyzes the plays "Oedipus the King" by Sophocles and "The Darker Face of the Earth" by Rita Dove. Specifically, the writer compares incest in the two works. The writer points out that both of these works include elements of incest as a central theme. The writer notes that Dove's play is loosely based on "Oedipus the King," the classic story of the man who kills his own father, marries his mother, and has several children with her before he discovers the truth. The writer discusses that both of these plays, the incest between the characters is unknown to them, but it represents the twist of fate that is the central theme of these two plays.

From the Paper
"Dove makes them more sympathetic and the reader somehow wants it to work out between them, even if the relationship is wrong, because of these changes. This is far different that the Oedipus character, who seems far less appealing than Augustus. He is far more arrogant and sure that he has evaded his real fate. He is also far less sympathetic because of his arrogance, and so, his fate seems more deserving in the end.
"In the first version of the play, Augustus and Amalia all die at the end, victims of rioting slaves that had asked Augustus to murder Amalia. However, Dove changed the ending in the second version. Instead, Augustus learns the truth about his father and mother, and Amalia kills herself. The rebellious slaves think Augustus killed her, and hail him as a hero, leaving him to live with the horror of what he has done."

Tags:gods, poetic, verse, slavery, taboo

Abstract
This paper explains that incest, which is one of the most taboo topics in today's society and has close ties to child abuse, involves sexual relationships between people who are genetically related to one another. The author points out that, in the Middle East, clitoridectomy, the removal of a woman's clitoris, is often performed on a girl by her own mother in response to the rampant pedophilia of the men and thus is a form of incest prevention. The paper relates that incest is often associated with in-breeding and increased rates of birth defects, but some cultures, such as the Pharaohs of Egypt, the royal family of Hawaii and the Hapsburg dynasty of Austria, encouraged inter-family marriage to strengthen their bloodlines and maintain their purity.

From the Paper
"It has been proposed that the prohibitions against incest developed as a means to prevent the gene pool from deteriorating. This theory is much disputed, with the arguments against it being backed by the nature of the various prohibitions, which, as stated earlier, often allow sexual relations between genetically related individuals. However, this argument against incest has begun to lose its efficacy through the development of effective contraception. Other reasons for the taboo against incest are based around the nature of the family. Preservation of the family unit and promotion of family wealth/power become the focus around which anti-incest prohibitions are developed."

Tags:family, pedophilia, taboo, genetics, royal

Abstract
Referring to Dr. Adams' book, the writer discusses that covert incest should not be confused with overt incest, which is the direct and physical occurrence of sexual abuse within a household. Instead, covert incest is much less direct. The writer describes that it is commonly found in families where one parent does not actively participate in everyday family affairs. In turn, this provides an opportunity for the other parent to feel neglected and to run to one of their children for emotional support. The writer examines how as a result, the child is made a "surrogate spouse" to the troubled parent. In this article, the writer discusses Dr. Adams views on this issue in his book "Silently Seduced: When Parents Make Children Their Partners".

From the Paper
"Dr. Kenneth M. Adams, author of Silently Seduced: When Parents Make Children Their Partners, is a clinical psychologist who resides in Michigan. He specializes in working with children and adults who are products of alcoholic or dysfunctional families. He has written articles concerning covert incest, sexual addiction, and adult children. He spends most of his time traveling to different states to lecture and provide consultation in his areas of specialization. In his account of covert incest, Adams describes "the silent seduction covert incest victims experience and its effects on their sexuality, intimacy and relationships."

Tags:addiction, abuse, seduced, sexual

Abstract
This paper explains that, although the definitions of incest vary among societies, sexual intercourse is almost universally prohibited between members of the nuclear family who are not spouses and, in most cultures, the prohibition is extend to include grandparents, aunts, uncles, nieces and nephews. The most prevalent type of incest is adult-male to child. The author points out that sexual intercourse between adults and their young appears to be rare across the entire zoological kingdom except for human beings. The paper relates that the incest taboo (1) is a mechanism for avoiding inbreeding and genetic abnormalities, (2) is a prevention of sexual rivalry within the family, (3) lessens role confusion within the family and, (4) most importantly, recognizes the complex emotional bonds and power relationships within a family.

From the Paper
"One of the interesting characteristics of humankind is a prolonged childhood. The time span between birth and adolescence is well more than a decade. An explanation for the extended infertility is the complexity of the social environment that man builds for himself favors a slow development which allows for sufficient mastery of society's intricacies. Accordingly, the lack of early sexual experiences to which a developing child is exposed may generate reproductive problems when the child reaches adulthood."

Tags:adult-male, nuclear, inbreeding, rivalry, emotions

Abstract
This essay examines the various psychological, sociological and evolutionary origin theories and the related ethnographic/ historical observations presented by several anthropologists and one psychiatrist, Sigmund Freud. It also discusses the functions which the incest taboos serve, their apparent universality and their influences on social structure.

From the Paper
"Sigmund Freud tried to account for the incest taboo in his psychoanalytic theory of the unconscious. According to him, the son desires the mother creating a rivalry with the father. he must suppress these feelings or earn the wrath of his father who is more powerful than him. The Electra complex places the daughter in rivalry with her mother. Freud's theory can be viewed as an elaboration of the reasons for a deep seated aversion to sexual relations within the family."

Tags:anthropology, marriage