WHAT IS A FAMILY?

 You need to be able to tell the difference between family and household, reality and ideal, etnhic and other forms of diversity.

DEFINING FAMILIES AND HOUSEHOLDS

  • No agreed definition.
    Common characteristics are:
    • living together
    • economic cooperation
    • reproduction
    • socialization of children.
  • A household is a group who live together or share aspects of life eg. eating together.
  • Nuclear families, are parents and immature children. Murdock argues this this is universal.
  • Extended families, add kin.
  • Ideal family, approved model by society. Other types might be frowned upon. Feminists say ideal family been promoted to exploit women.
  • Attitudes and language change. Lone parent families used to be (disapprovingly) unmarried mothers and children.

DIFFERENT TYPES OF FAMILY AND HOUSEHOLD

  • Includes many one person, childless couples, unmarried with or without children, remarried sometimes with third outside person.
  • Many live in more than one nuclear family throughout life. Most live in variety of family and household arrangements during their lifetimes.

IDEOLOGY OF THE FAMILY

 Ideology is a set of beliefs that forward a particular group, or their interests. Marxists and feminists referred to the ideology of the family. Increasing the pressure to have a happy family.

ETHNIC DIVERSITY

Studies often by outsiders confirming stereotypes. They do vary according to class, religion and individual factors though.

Why are there distinctive patterns of family life?

Economic influences - History of slavery may have encouraged female-led afro-Caribbean family. Unemployment may have encouraged persisting extended families.
Cultural differences - more likely to persist if a group maintains a distinct language and religion.
Discrimination and disadvantage - Racism encourages keeping distinct culture. Westwood and Bhachu (1988), say family is a main strength and resistance.

ETHNIC MINORITY FAMILIES, REALITY OR STEREOTYPES?

 J.E. Goldthorpe (1987) reviewed several studies of British Asian families from different religions and origins, and found common characteristics:

  •   Men have authority over women.
  •   Parents have control.
  •   Old control young.
  •   Marriage arranged.
  •   Sexes segregated.
  •   Families extended.
  •   Larger families, but only Sikhs and families from East Africa were likely to contain three generations.
      21% extended in 1991, but extended family can be maintained through visits and by telephone.

Extra Information

Exam questions are likely to focus on family roles, but children and the old are OK as answers also.

Note: when refering to studies, note the date. Older studies referring to first generation, may no longer be relevant.

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