Lecture 8 Pt. 2 Flashcards
growth of individualization
a process that given more importance to the choices we can make about the personal life we wish to have
family
seen as a key social institution, found on all societies, that unites individuals into cooperating groups that oversee the bearing and raising of children
kinship
most families are built on kinship, a social bond, based on blood, marriage, or adoption, that joins individuals into families
a family unit
most regarded as a social group of two or more people, related by blood, marriage, or adoption, who ususally live together
marriage
families form arouns marriage, a legally sanctioned relationship, involving economic cooperation as well as normative sexual activity and child-bearing, that people expect to be enduring
families of choice
people with or without legal or blood ties who feel they belong together and wish to define themselves as family
3 key elements shaping family structures bwteen 1900 and 2000
- degree fo male dominance (patriarchy)
- need for marriage in secual regulation
- fertility and birth control
5 family types suggested by Therborn
- the west asia/north africa family (islamic)
- the sub-saharan african family (animist)
- the south asian family (hindu)
- the east asian (confucian) family
- european/north american (christian)
the west asia/north africa family (islamic)
marriage and theology are deeply interconnected. in patriarchy, veiling, and sexual control of women, family matters are of great importance
the sub-saharan african family (animist)
strong gender hierarchy with some female autonomy. mass polygony is quite common (multiple wives), and great importance is attached to fertility
the south asian family (hindu)
shaped by religious rituals. characterized by strong patriarchy but also female seclusion. marriage is regulated by strict rules of endogamny and exogamy
the east asian (confucian) family
strong, central, and unchanging. explicit patriarchal structure, with duty of being honorable to both father and patrilineal ancestors. filial piety is a core value. the husband cominates, and fertility is meant for reproduction of the male bloodline
classical (functionalist) appraoch
families have certain functions;
- socialisation
- regulation of sexual activity
- social placement: provides a similar social position for the child
- material and emotional security
european/north american (christian)
regulated by the rules of the Catholic Church, is the least patriarchal family. marraige is by ‘consent’ and monogamy is prized
critics of the unctionalist approach
this approach overlooks the diversity in how people can live together in the modern world
conflict theory
focuses on how families may perpetuate social inequality. the role of families in the social reproduction of inequality takes several forms
- property and inheritance
- patriarchy
- race and ethnicity
critics of conflict theory
argue against Engel’s conflict theory, stating that family is not a part of capitalism because non-cpaitalist societies also have families
radical feminist approach
family is an ecnomonic system, where men benefit from the work of women
critique of radical feminist approach
state that these theories fail to consider the growing trends toward equality in decision-making between men and women
family at the intersection of class, ethnicity, and gender
dimensions of inequality are powerful forces that shape marriage and family life
- class
- ethnicity
- asian families: an ideal type would suggest putting family before individual-interests
- afro-caribbean families: marriage is often weaker, father/husband role is less strong
- gender
interaction and the micro-sociology of the family
explores how individuals experience and shape family. Activities over a long period lead to members forging emotional bonds. however, the parents acting as authority figures often inhibit their communication with younger children. kinship typically ‘opens up’ once young people reach adulthood
social exchange analysis
courtship and marriage are forms of negotiation. dating involves assessing the likely advantages and disadvantages of taking the other as a spouse. critics state that this approach runs the risk of missing the bigger picture
‘doing families’
family has come to signify a sense of intimate connections, and much less the formal legal ties of marriage
- everyday life of families
- the process of the fluidity of family life
- regularities
- interplay of biography and history
- interplay of positions
personal life
an area of life which impacts closely on people and means much to them, it does not assume human are autonomous and have free will, rather, it indicates that their lives are always bound up with the presence of others
