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In some societies, when the wife dies, the widower may marry a sister or another woman from his wife's family, widespread practice that anthropologists call:

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Final answer:

The practice where a widower marries a sister or another woman from his deceased wife's family is known as sororate marriage. It is part of remarriage obligations in some societies to maintain family lineage and provide support for children and survivors.

Step-by-step explanation:

In some societies, the practice where a widow marries a brother of her deceased husband is known as levirate marriage. However, the situation where a widower may marry a sister or another woman from his deceased wife's family is referred to as sororate marriage. These are cultural practices that dictate remarriage obligations with the intent to maintain lineage and support for the surviving spouse and any children.

The sororate is deployed to ensure young children from the first marriage can remain with their father and maintain a connection with their biological mother's kindred. In contrast, levirate marriage allows a family to continue under the stewardship of the deceased husband's brother, often in societies with polygynous families where multiple wives are a common arrangement.

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