Family in general
Definition
Definition 1
Key social institution
Found in all societies
Unites individuals into cooperative groups
o That oversees the bearing and raising of children
Definition 2
Group of interacting persons
o Who recognise a relationship with each other
o Based on a common parentage, marriage or adoption
Definition 3
Societal group related by
o Blood (kinship)
o Adoption
o Foster care
o The ties of marriage (civil, customary or religious)
o Civil union
o Cohabitation
Go beyond a particular physical residence
Types of families in the post-modern world
Nuclear families
o The small unit consisting of a married couple
With or without children
Least one parent and her/his children
o The traditional ideal of the nuclear family is 2 parents and 2 kids
living together
o A family group consisting of parents with their biological or
adoptive children only
Cohabitating unions
Single-parent families
Blended families
Extended families
Polygamous families – mostly polygynous
,Common characteristics & their associated problems
Common residence
o Living Apart Together (LAT) couples
o Migrant workers
o Informal fostering
Economic cooperation
o Unequal divide of financial resources
o Remittances
Reproduction
o Childless couples
o Fostering
Heterosexual marriage
o Single parent families
o Same-sex couples
o Cohabitation
Family vs. Household
Family and household are not synonymous
Households
o Individuals living in the same dwelling
o The practices and functions of (re)production and consumption
take place
o May or may not have the same familial ties
Still share living space, food and other essentials
o A group within which income and expenditure flows are
concentrated
Even if the members of that group are resident in widely
dispersed parts
Kinship
A social bond based on
o Blood
o Marriage or adoption
o People who feel they belong together and wish to define
themselves as a family
Joins individuals into families
Who is included under the umbrella of kinship changes based on
o Social context
o Historical context
o Cultural context
,Importance of family
Influences the way society is structured, organised and functions
Provides psycho-emotional and economic support
Social unit
o Vital role in socialisation, nurturing and care
Biological unit
o Determining the conditions of social reproduction
Purpose of family
Jobs they do
o Feeding work
o House work
o Kin work
o Consumption
o Care work
Social functions
o Socialisation
o Regulation of sexual activity
o Social placement
o Material and emotional security
Family is a social construct
Not a natural feature of human life
Rather a social construct
Is a private relationship and a public institution
Institutions exist in ways that make it appear as though they are the only
options available to us
,Evolution of families
Pre-industrial family
Structure
o Simple family system
o Joint family system
Household size
o Large
Marriage
o Necessity – economic considerations
Gender
o Patriarchal system
o Women played vital economic role
Functions
o Everything
Reproduction
o High fertility rates
View of children
o Mini adults
Industrial family
Structure
o Nuclear family
Household size
o Stable/smaller
Marriage
o Romance, love – personal considerations
Gender
o Patriarchal system
o Class-based gendered division of labour
Functions
o Specialised functions of
Socialisation
Procreation
Child-rearing
View of children
o Childhood and adolescence distinct
, Postmodern family
Generally more fluid than they were in the past
o Diverse, fluid, and unresolved family arrangements
Incorporates both experimental and nostalgic dimensions
Characteristics
o Family type/ structure
Diverse
o Household size
Diverse
o Marriage
Numerous reasons
o Gender
Persistent inequality
o Functions
Specialised functions of
Socialisation
Procreation
Child-rearing
o View of children
Improved rights
Trends set to stay
o Family life highly variable
o Economy will continue to change/reform marriage and the family
o Divorce remain high
o Men play changing role in child rearing
o Importance of reproductive technologies will increase
Definition
Definition 1
Key social institution
Found in all societies
Unites individuals into cooperative groups
o That oversees the bearing and raising of children
Definition 2
Group of interacting persons
o Who recognise a relationship with each other
o Based on a common parentage, marriage or adoption
Definition 3
Societal group related by
o Blood (kinship)
o Adoption
o Foster care
o The ties of marriage (civil, customary or religious)
o Civil union
o Cohabitation
Go beyond a particular physical residence
Types of families in the post-modern world
Nuclear families
o The small unit consisting of a married couple
With or without children
Least one parent and her/his children
o The traditional ideal of the nuclear family is 2 parents and 2 kids
living together
o A family group consisting of parents with their biological or
adoptive children only
Cohabitating unions
Single-parent families
Blended families
Extended families
Polygamous families – mostly polygynous
,Common characteristics & their associated problems
Common residence
o Living Apart Together (LAT) couples
o Migrant workers
o Informal fostering
Economic cooperation
o Unequal divide of financial resources
o Remittances
Reproduction
o Childless couples
o Fostering
Heterosexual marriage
o Single parent families
o Same-sex couples
o Cohabitation
Family vs. Household
Family and household are not synonymous
Households
o Individuals living in the same dwelling
o The practices and functions of (re)production and consumption
take place
o May or may not have the same familial ties
Still share living space, food and other essentials
o A group within which income and expenditure flows are
concentrated
Even if the members of that group are resident in widely
dispersed parts
Kinship
A social bond based on
o Blood
o Marriage or adoption
o People who feel they belong together and wish to define
themselves as a family
Joins individuals into families
Who is included under the umbrella of kinship changes based on
o Social context
o Historical context
o Cultural context
,Importance of family
Influences the way society is structured, organised and functions
Provides psycho-emotional and economic support
Social unit
o Vital role in socialisation, nurturing and care
Biological unit
o Determining the conditions of social reproduction
Purpose of family
Jobs they do
o Feeding work
o House work
o Kin work
o Consumption
o Care work
Social functions
o Socialisation
o Regulation of sexual activity
o Social placement
o Material and emotional security
Family is a social construct
Not a natural feature of human life
Rather a social construct
Is a private relationship and a public institution
Institutions exist in ways that make it appear as though they are the only
options available to us
,Evolution of families
Pre-industrial family
Structure
o Simple family system
o Joint family system
Household size
o Large
Marriage
o Necessity – economic considerations
Gender
o Patriarchal system
o Women played vital economic role
Functions
o Everything
Reproduction
o High fertility rates
View of children
o Mini adults
Industrial family
Structure
o Nuclear family
Household size
o Stable/smaller
Marriage
o Romance, love – personal considerations
Gender
o Patriarchal system
o Class-based gendered division of labour
Functions
o Specialised functions of
Socialisation
Procreation
Child-rearing
View of children
o Childhood and adolescence distinct
, Postmodern family
Generally more fluid than they were in the past
o Diverse, fluid, and unresolved family arrangements
Incorporates both experimental and nostalgic dimensions
Characteristics
o Family type/ structure
Diverse
o Household size
Diverse
o Marriage
Numerous reasons
o Gender
Persistent inequality
o Functions
Specialised functions of
Socialisation
Procreation
Child-rearing
o View of children
Improved rights
Trends set to stay
o Family life highly variable
o Economy will continue to change/reform marriage and the family
o Divorce remain high
o Men play changing role in child rearing
o Importance of reproductive technologies will increase
