‘The family unit is one of the most important institutions, which is found in some form in nearly all known societies’ (Ken Browne, ‘An introduction to sociology’ 2011, p. 85). In this essay few topics are covered. They are including perception of the family, different types of family and various sociological concepts of the family in relation to the significant changes in structure of this part of society taken place in the UK since 1950s. First of all, there is a need to explain the difference between household and family and give the definition of the family from the sociological point of view. According to Braun (2011), a household is either one person or a group of people who live at the same address and share living dispositions. They Without family (or unit replacing family) children would not know how to behave in society. Family is a ground substructure of economics. Adult members of the family will produce and share out goods and services. Their children will take their place in the future. Family is not just source or labour, but also providing massive numbers of purchasers for market. Physical and psychological security for members of the family. People in the family are supporting each other in many ways (http://pages.towson.edu/). Single parent family consist of one parent and child or children. In this type of family lone parent could be divorced, never married or widowed. Reconstructed family composed from couple and their children from previous relationships. Extended family contains more than two generation of one family living in one household. Example of vertically extended family would be couple, their children and grandchildren. Brother and sister with their spouses and children living as one family would be a case of vertically extended The 2001 Census identified step-families for the first time in Britain and showed that more than one in ten dependent children lived in a step-family. These changes in attitudes towards marriage, divorce, reproduction are partly connected with changes in legalisation. The 1969 Divorce Reform Act in England and Wales made divorce procedure easier than in the past. Some other provocateurs of these changes are cultural shifts towards less conservative life style, expansion and legalisation of feminism and huge development in contraceptive methods. In contrast with functionalism approach, the feminist sociologists are reproving towards traditional nuclear family as described by Lloyd, Few and Allen (2009). Feminists are considering modern society patriarchal and in need of further changes to equalise genders rights and opportunities. By their opinion, socialization of children in nuclear families is gender over orientated. From Marxists sociologists’ point of view nuclear family is unit of society which is reproducing the labour power that maintains capitalism. Also this type of family supports unequal class system as proposed by Marx
This paper explores the nuclear family within the context of the sociology of gender. Michael Kimmel and Jacqueline Holler (2011) indicatethat conservative social groups such as REAL Women of Canada define the nuclear family in terms of the 1950s gender norms reflected in popular television shows such as of Leave it to Beaver(Kimmel & Holler, p. 141).In this type of traditional family dad goes out to work to support the family and mom stays home to watch the children and take care of the home. Kimmel and Holler reference the view that the nuclear family involves “a legal lifelong sexually exclusive, heterosexual monogamous marriage, based on affection and companionship, in which there is a sharp division of labour with the female as full time housewife and the male as primary provider and ultimate authority” (Kimmel & Holler, p. 141). Atraditional or nuclearfamily such as that described by Kimmel and Holler is typically made up of the father,the mother and atleast one child. The relationship between the man and the woman is heterosexual, they are legally married and their children are ideally produced through sexual union rather than adoption (Class Notes, 01/28/14).
As a societal unit, the family institution has become more individualized and is negatively impacting societies future. From the 1930’s to now the family has disintegrated into more and more of a single person unit. A family in the 1930’s was envisioned to be a male-breadwinning father, a doting-homemaker wife, and several children. Yet understand while the Great Depression was rolling the family structure did not change. The husband went out and looked for work, while the wife stayed home and kept the children out of trouble.
A family is a group of people consisting of the parents and their children who live together and they are blood related. The family is always perceived as the basic social units whether they are living together in the same compound or at far distance but are closely related especially by blood. Therefore, the family unit has had a great influence on the growth and the character traits possessed by the children as they grow up and how they perceive the society they live in. the family also shapes the children to be able to relate well with other people that are not part of their family and with a good relationship it impacts to the peace achieved in country. This paper addresses the reasons as to why the family is considered the most important agent of socialization. It’s evident that families have changed over time and they have adopted different ways of living. This paper also tackles on the causes of the dramatic changes to the American family and what the changes are. Different people with different race, gender and preferences make the family unit and this makes the difference in marriages. This will also be discussed in this paper.
Family used to be a single unit, consisting of a husband, wife and children. This unit was widely thought as a group based on marriage and biological parenthood as sharing a common residence and united by ties of affection, obligations, care, support, and a sense of common identity. However, due to the change in values, laws, family structure and social trends, the definition of family has been defined as a married or cohabiting couple with or without children living under one roof, children may be dependent or independent. (Office for national statistics) (2006)
"Families are essentially care institutions that vary across cultures and change over time. Their essential function, historically, has been to contribute to the basic economic survival of family members; thus, the structure of families often adapts to the economy, and cultural ideologies and laws are created to reinforce that adaptation."(The evolution of families and marriages, 2015)
Family – such a small word, with great meaning. From birth, our family helps determine who we are and what we will become. Our family helps us learn; right from wrong; what to view as important and what is just a distraction. Our families teach us what love, acceptance, guidance, and tough love are all about. We learn the arts of compromise and diplomacy from sibling squabbles mediated by weary parents.
The unit of a family is the most prominent essential for all of us. As social human beings, we seek social support in order to thrive, and that is where family comes into play. A family is where you receive love, support, encouragement, and many other social benefits. The total number of households in the United States increased from 63 million in 1970 to 113 million in 2008 (Weeks, 2012). The family has influenced multitudes of people in many ways. The traditional family in the United States consists two-married individuals providing care and stability for their biological offspring also know as the nuclear family. However, the term of a true family has ultimately changed over the last 50 years especially for African Americans.
What is a family? A family is two or more people consider themselves to be blood related, or related by marriage, or adoption. Our families are who we love. We as families look different in so many ways. A family’s caregiving unit might have a couple, a mother, a father, and children. A family could also be a single parent and child, a group of siblings, a small or large group of friends. A family defines itself in many different ways. Families are the foundation of how our society and how it works. It is how we come into the world and nurtured and given the tools that we need to go out into our world. We are both capable and healthy or not our families influence our lives either in a good way or a bad way. While families
“The family is a social group characterised by common residence, economic co-operation and reproduction. It includes adults of both sexes, at least two of whom maintain a socially approved sexual relationship, and one or more children, own or adopted of the sexually cohabitating adults.” MURDOCK (1949)
The family is a societal institution which initiates the positive and negative process of social interactions between people. Over the last few decades what constitutes the family has changed all over the world. Family in today’s environment is diverse in nature and may go beyond the scope of parents and children. Families can consist of variations in relationships such as close relatives, stepparents, half siblings and extended non-biological family members. Normally, immediate family members live in the same house, nearby, until the child reaches a specified age and maturity to go into the world and start their own family. Most often members of the families have intimate and personal relationships with each other. Within the family there is a continuation of social interactions between members that can influence and shape peoples responses and reactions to their larger societies.
Sociologists look at society from either a macro or micro view and the theories that define their work are based on those perspectives. There are several family theories that we learned about this semester. Briefly, Structural-Functionalism and Conflict Theory are “macro” theories in sociology. Structural-Functionalism sees society as a living machine made up of different parts which work together for the good of society. Individuals, as well as Institutions work together, and the family is the key to the well-functioning machine. Emile Durkheim, considered the Father of Sociology argues social solidarity, where people do the right thing, create harmony and have shared values. According to Durkheim the nuclear family is the only type of institution that can achieve that. Conflict Theory sees society as a pyramid with those at the top having more power and influence than those at the bottom. Males in society have more power than females. There is a power imbalance, which could lead to oppression o...
To thoroughly elaborate on the institution of family we most look at the family as it was before and how much it has changed over time. Throughout the years we are recognizing that the family is slowly being replaced by other agents of socialization. Families in the past consisted of a mother and a father and most times children. We are, as many societies a patriarchal society; men are usually the head of the households. This has always been considered the norm.
Family is arguably the most important social institution in an individual's life. A family is defined as a group of individuals that are related through blood ties, adoption or marriage, that form an economic unit, where the adult members are responsible
There are many types of family that exists in today’s society, each important to the upbringing of any children of which may be apart of it.
One of the most interesting concepts in the opening chapter The Nuclear Family is the insistence of society to continue to hold the traditional family structure in highest regard. It’s like the saying ‘You can’t teach an old dog new tricks’. Even though most families are non- traditional we haven’t accepted it. It was a good point by Coontz(1997) to say that “holding on to these nostalgic ideas creates problems for contemporary families.” By hanging on to this notion that families aren’t good enough with a mommy and a daddy and three kids, I think really does delay the development of solid, clear, moral foundations for modern families. If these families are considered secondary and not as good in the first place then there’s going to be hesitance to even bother improving them. The children of these families would benefit most from the relinquishment of the traditional ideal. They need to be secure in the fact that their family is as good as anyone else’s.