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Disownment

society Maturity 11-13 Next article →

Sometimes, a family stops being a family. This is called disownment. It happens when a relative says they are no longer kin. This can be a parent or a sibling.

The Jew's Christmas, Isaac disowns his daughter Leah
The Jew's Christmas, Isaac disowns his daughter Leah

Disownment is a social act. It is not the same as adoption. A person might be cut off from family money. They might be sent away from the home. They may even be shunned. This means the family ignores them. They might not be allowed at big family events.

This can be very hard. The person must find a new place to live. They must find new ways to be cared for. Sometimes, a child chooses to leave their family. They might seek emancipation. This is a way to be free from the family.

Laws about this change by place. In some countries, it is illegal to disown a child. This is true if the child is a minor. A minor is a person who is not yet an adult. In Spain, a person may disown a relative if there was abuse. In Austria, there must be no normal ties left.

The Jew's Christmas, Isaac disowns his daughter Leah
The Jew's Christmas, Isaac disowns his daughter Leah

Many groups have used these rules. The Code of Hammurabi had rules for it. In ancient Rome, leaders had this power. The Tanala people also had a way to do this.

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