Family- Nuclear "Universality"

Question 1

Murdock’s OG Survey

Answer 1

250 “representative families” which concluded that “nuclear families are universal human grouping”

conclusions based on:
+strucutral convergeance: “families move towards nuclear-ness, because modernization is inevitable across all societies”

+dominance: “if not a movement, then nuclear structures are automatically more popular”

Question 2

What other idea helps “convergeance” claims of nuclear family theorists?

Answer 2

The Fit Thesis, supported by Talcott Parsons, Goode and Skolnick.

Parsons: nuclear families are born to the demands of industiral societies
.
Goode: nuclear families are best suited to modern societies

Skolnick: same thing, ++ best suited to give children love in an increasingly impersonal world

Question 3

Murdock’s claim to universality DESPITE diversity

Answer 3

Single Parenthood? “broken nuclear”

Polygamous/ Extended? “has a nuclear core”

Question 4

Evidence of matrifocality

Answer 4

Gough’s study of Nayars in Kerala: matrilineal, women have numerous lovers that live in separate rooms of their house, and raise female children them with the help of their brothers.

New World Black Families: matrifocal: women have male visitors but rely on female kinship networks centered on grandmothers.

Question 5

Evidence of Communes as alternative structures

Answer 5

Oneida Community, investigated by Hillebrand: complex marriage systems with community consent for cohabitation, did not allow for “Exclusive attachments”

Israeli Kibbutz: communal rearing of children, but monogamy is okay, but they live separately and do not share economic responsibilities as required by nuclar families

Question 6

“Flexible families” ?

Answer 6

Stated by Hareven:
“families have always been able to nuclear, or sometimes have an additional member” (even the same exact family at different times)

Question 7

Linking a Marxist argument…

Answer 7

“Nuclear universality” is not because of industrialization, but rather because of capitalism.

> > Zaretsky, Engels, etc. : “nuclear family was required to formalize the primogeniture, inheritance and monogamy that enabled capitalism to flourish”