1
Answer at least two of the following questions and then respond to at least two of your
classmates' posts:
1. How do crises such as the emergence of COVID-19 show the connections between the
economy and families? Choose another institution that the emergence of COVID-19 shows is
connected to the family and discuss that connection in detail.
2. How do your friends talk about their plans for dating? partnering? marriage? children? How
might this have been when I was in college in the early to mid-1990s? How might this have been
in the 1950s? What explains those distinctions?
3. Prior to your readings for this week, how would you have defined family? Describe who you
consider to be part of your family. How is each member “related” to you (emotionally, legally,
biologically, etc.)? Does your definition include only members of a nuclear family? An extended
family? Based on your definition of family, would all of your listed family members be included
in the definition? Why or why not? How well do you think a definition of family can capture
families? Explain your response.
4. Choose a couple (real or fictional) that has been together for at least 10 years. Who is this
couple? How did they meet? In what ways do principles of homogamy, propiqunity, endogamy,
and exogamy figure into their relationship? How might this be different for people in your age
group? What explains those changes?
Answer at least two of the following questions and then respond to at least two of your
classmates' posts:
1. How do crises such as the emergence of COVID-19 show the connections between the
economy and families? Choose another institution that the emergence of COVID-19 shows is
connected to the family and discuss that connection in detail.
2. How do your friends talk about their plans for dating? partnering? marriage? children? How
might this have been when I was in college in the early to mid-1990s? How might this have been
in the 1950s? What explains those distinctions?
3. Prior to your readings for this week, how would you have defined family? Describe who you
consider to be part of your family. How is each member “related” to you (emotionally, legally,
biologically, etc.)? Does your definition include only members of a nuclear family? An extended
family? Based on your definition of family, would all of your listed family members be included
in the definition? Why or why not? How well do you think a definition of family can capture
families? Explain your response.
4. Choose a couple (real or fictional) that has been together for at least 10 years. Who is this
couple? How did they meet? In what ways do principles of homogamy, propiqunity, endogamy,
and exogamy figure into their relationship? How might this be different for people in your age
group? What explains those changes?
