Modernists propose the idea of "imagined communities"; the barbarian polities in late antiquity were social constructs, rather than changeless lines of blood kinship.

There was a connection between the three, a connection based on more than blood kinship or accusations.

Often, clans are thought of as based on blood kinship alone; in fact Irish clans would be better thought of as akin to the modern-day corporation.

The jawline, the eyes, the length of their limbs - they were not identical by any means, but close enough that blood kinship was inescapable.

She even claimed a blood kinship with the Andacorians through her mother.

This was a relationship she rather fancied, unlike the blood kinship she had with Javanne Hastur, Mikhail's mother.

Oddly enough, the dynasty bears no blood kinship to the most famous Gandhi of all, Mohandas K., better known as the Mahatma.

The clan, with the canny Ms. Chang at its heart, shares restaurant capital and savvy for new ventures on the basis of blood kinship and deep friendship.

Our political and professional relationship is ended, and our blood kinship has become a mortification.

"Darwin's starting point," they write, "was the abolitionist belief in blood kinship, a 'common descent' " of all human beings.