Wk 8: Family Flashcards
The Social Construct
of the Family
The structures of society affect the innermost workings of the family.
o In the West, you are more likely to see unmarried cohabiting families due to an emphasis on professional goals and early independence.
o In some Eastern Countries (e.g., India & Singapore), stricter conservative values define families and family life.
o More economically developed countries tend to have smaller households.
o Filial piety is to respect one’s elders and lends to intergenerational families in parts of East Asia.
o More economically successful (and capitalistic!) countries often have children leave the home earlier.
Inequalities and norms of society, are likely to be reflected in the family.
Filial piety
is to respect one’s elders and lends to intergenerational families in parts of East Asia.
family
is two or more people who
are related by blood, marriage or
adoption
Nuclear family
A family that consists of mum, dad and kid/s
Marriage
is the union of two people
that is typically recognised by law or
cultural norms
Marriage is a social construct
so the status of people who commit to each other for life is often related to social institutions and cultures.
Same-sex couples can legally marry in Australia,
but this change is relatively recent. Before this,
the legal status of same-sex couples had seen
adjustments in areas such as superannuation,
hospital/coronial rights, property settlement,
taxation, compensation payments, and
wills/estates (i.e., de facto relationships), but it
had not received official government social
approval.
Why do governments resist same sex
marriage legalisation
The government’s stance on same-sex marriage varied over time and was influenced by cultural, social, political, and ideological
considerations.
Traditional Beliefs:
Many governments are initially influenced by
religious tradition
Political Factors:
Political leaders often considered the potential
backlash from certain population segments who opposed same-sex marriage. This could impact their electoral chances.
Public Opinion:
Government policies are often influenced by public opinion. In the case of same-sex marriage, support for it grew over time, and governments responded to changing societal attitudes
and pressure from advocacy groups.
International and Regional Context:
Governments may consider international and regional trends and norms regarding same-sex marriage. They may be influenced by
the actions and policies of other countries
Partisan Politics:
The issue of same-sex marriage
sometimes became entangled in partisan politics, with political parties taking different positions based on their ideologies and voter bases
Referendums and Public Votes:
In some countries, the issue of same-sex marriage was put to a public vote or referendum, and the government’s position was determined by the outcome of these votes.
Monogamy:
Most of you probably grew up under a family
system of monogamy, which is the practice of being married to one person at a time.
Polygamy:
Some societies allow polygamy, the practice of
having more than one spouse at a time -Polygamy itself comes in two forms: polygyny and polyandry
Polygyny:
Polygyny is more common and involves a
man marrying two or more women. This ancient
practice is illegal in most developed countries, although
it still exists in many developing countries worldwide.
Polyandry:
Polyandry allows a woman to take two or
more husbands. Anthropologists determined that
polyandry is practised to concentrate labour and
maintain a comfortable standard of living while limiting animosity (e.g. Himalyas)
The Nuclear Family
Families have been nuclear for some time. Between 1564 and 1821, 90% of households consisted of the nuclear family.
Why? Late marriage and short life expectancy limited the practicality of the idealistic extended family.
What did the kids do?
They served as laborers (i.e., workers)
within the household’s ‘production system’.
Children were typically sent to other
households around the age of 7 to cultivate
their independence as laborers and equip
them to establish their own households. It’s
intriguing to contemplate Karl Marx’s
perspective on this matter!
The Nuclear Family and
its Decline
We are marrying less
◦ We are marrying later in life
◦ We are cohabiting instead of marrying
◦ We are having fewer children
◦ We are having children at later ages
◦ We are forming same-sex marriages that
raise children.
Trends of the Anglo-
Saxon Australian Family
In Australia, after the Second World War, there
were a larger number of married couples within
Australia when compared to previous generations.
A typical household is perhaps no longer headed
by a ‘male breadwinner’ and smaller households
suggest the increasing numbers of single-parent
families and elderly people living alone
With the larger numbers of de facto couples,
together with the more frequent occurrence of
single-parent families, more Australian births are
taking place outside marriage.
Popenoe sees the family (not necessarily the nuclear family) as losing its ability to
perform two crucial functions:
I. Raising children
II. Affection and companionship
The decrease in the number of children being born is happening because the importance of having kids has decreased. Instead,
we now prioritise success in our jobs, leisure activities, spending money, and finding personal satisfaction. Nowadays, relationships are not limited by rules, traditions, or economic needs. They continue only as long as they bring
enough happiness for people to stay in them.
Women’s Rights as a Risk to the Current Family
System
The increased involvement of women in
the workforce can be seen as a potential
threat to family relationships because it
reduces opportunities for family bonding
and lowers the need for women to form
or maintain relationships with men.
No Fault Divorce
In 1975 no-fault divorce and the
Family Court systems were
introduced. Prior to 1975, you had to
prove your spouse was to blame (e.g.,
they committed adultery).
Prior to 1975, there was a moralistic
view towards divorce. Blame was
assigned to the party that could be
considered to have ‘sinned’ – after all,
marriage does have roots in religion
Sociological reasons for divorce
- Ease of obtaining a divorce (i.e., introduction of
‘no fault’ divorce in Australia in 1975) - Residential mobility of nuclear family (i.e.,
moving and isolation from extended family
supports) - Ongoing redefinition of family and gender (i.e.,
changing gender roles can create tension) - Longevity (i.e., more stressors and hard to
maintain relationship) - Social acceptance (i.e., today divorce is socially
acceptable – no-longer unusual to be child of a
so-called ‘broken home’)
