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FAMILY AND ITS ROLE

Family and its Role in Todays Society

Loreta Doga

(June 10, 2014).

SOCI 002 51: Teacher

Humber College

FAMILY AND ITS ROLE

Family and its Role in Todays Society

Family plays a very important role in todays society; it is the quality of the values and ethics the
family provides that make for the success or fall of its members in society.
According to the Encarta Dictionary: English (North America), family is defined as a group of
people living together and functioning as a single household, usually consisting of parents and their
children. This definition conjures up images of the nuclear family stereotypes that stem from old
reruns of Leave It to Beaver, Little House on the Prairie, and The Waltons. Although traditional
values are a goal of each household, we need to reflect back to when these values were most
honored in todays minds eye. We all imagine the happy household of the 1950s, when women
were taught to cater to the needs of their husbands while the children were encouraged to be silent
in his presence. We have somehow glamorized societal traditions, and lost sight of the struggles of
today. In todays society, feminist groups, activists, government acceptance, etc., to include, have
elevated the definition of family; single parent households, same sex parenting, inter racial
couplings, to name only a few. Some would argue that the decay of the family structure began with
the new age influence; however, regardless of the tone of the family, its the quality of the values
and ethics of these diverse groups that make for the success or fall of its members in society.
SOCIOLOGIST & THEORY
Theorist I
Robert K. Mertons (July 4, 1910 February 23, 2003) (pgs. 14, 16, 17, 19, 130-1, 245)
functionalism theory explains the dynamic between family and society. He theorized 3 functions:
the manifest function is the expected result/response to an action, for example: if you jump on the
spot, thanks to gravity, you will confidently land in the same spot. The latent function needs a

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sociological approach to its understanding, as its focus is on unexpected results and benefits; as in
going for a glorious morning walk with the dog, and getting the benefit of a healthy life style.
Finally, the latent dysfunction theory; unlike the previous 2 theories, this focuses on the negative
results of an unexpected action. An excellent example of Mertons latent dysfunction theory is the
not so distant Residential School atrocity. In order to eradicate the native culture, young children
were ripped from their homes and sent to residential schools. The affects were devastating to the
children, families, bands, and humanity. The despair changed the course of the entire cultures
future.
External Research (and throughout)
Willie Sport, survivor, Alberni (United Church) Indian Residential School (March 8, 1998)
writes A quarter of us never survived the boat trip to residential school, not the way we was
starved and beaten by the Mounties. How many kids bodies got pitched overboard Ill never
remember. And then half of those who survived never made it out of the school. Most of us who did
just drank ourselves to death. Thats why you never see many of us around. I myself have a friend
who is a descendent of family members that endured this hate (personal conversation K.
Lamorandiere), and although most would say she wasnt directly involved, I would argue that she
may as well been standing alongside of her grandmother as the Mounties, Nuns and Clergy beat and
raped in a quest to rid Canada of the Indian... Author Kevin D. Annett of Hidden No Longer:
Genocide In Canada, Past and Present, is in agreement that the entire community continually
struggles to overcome the abuses (physical, emotional, sexual, and even death) taught to those
young children.

FAMILY AND ITS ROLE

We would assume that it is the family unit that has the greatest influence in the behaviors learned
(regardless of function or dysfunction); and therefore, the role of the family is to lay down solid
principals and rules that will be applied in society in order to seamlessly fade into the masses. If we
are to consider the influences of family on core values and ultimately society, it would be ignorant
to ignore the well - known psychologist Eric Eriksons theory that is now dubbed Erikson's 8
Stages of Development. In it he defines the requirements of human development, and the
consequences of absent lessons, for example: Eriksons 4 th stage is school age 6-11 (ages that
family are/should be of great influence). He writes, Children need to cope with new social and
academic demands. Success leads to a sense of competence, while failure results in feelings of
inferiority. There are countless readings on the concept of the inferiority complex, and they all
have variations of examples with the same outcome; psychopathological behavior. Although this
affliction comes with the stigma of dysfunction it is still considered normative age graded
development, (unless of course it was a non-normative event that shaped the outcome) and is an
excellent example of family influence; although dysfunctional. The children in Residential schools
were retained from the mental, emotional, and physical requirements of normal development.
Theorist II
Nancy Mandell and Ann Duffy (pg. 194) also include the element of race when shaping family
structures and relationships. I would like to take it one step further and incorporate generational
differences. When we consider traditionalists (1900-1945) we consider the events of the time; in
this example WW1, Great Depression, and WW11. It is the combination that created the
hardworking and God-fearing values of the time. That generation is infamous for their LOYALTY;
to God and Country was a lifestyle. Generations to follow have been greatly influenced by events of
the time, and it needs to be acknowledged that September 11, 2001 brought a new layer of family

FAMILY AND ITS ROLE

values and concerns to each and every dinner table; worldwide. There is no doubt that
environmental/external events have influence on the family unit, but the strength and weaknesses of
family values is what determines how the individual will manage catastrophic events/ latent
dysfunction. In the case of Residential schools, these children were not given the opportunity to
properly develop the personal resources to cope with such an unimaginable process. I doubt very
much that anyone would be able to find a satisfactory coping mechanism given those conditions.
Although there have been great strides in society to embrace the truth, it would be ignorant to
believe that the goal has been met, and therefore Mandells argument of incorporating this element
seems appropriate. That being said; I believe that a strong core/family does in fact allow for the
strength and confidence of anyone to rise above the stereotypes inflicted by circumstance; however,
the strength of the Native family is still shadowed by the ongoing healing process.
Media
I recently stumbled across a you tube video titled From Stilettos to Moccasins. In it Violet
Naytowhow sings about a native womans displacement in the community. One of the first visuals
(34-36 second spot) is that of a residential school class. Truth is; Im not sure if she herself is a
survivor, but she sings of survival. In 1969 the decision was taken to close the residential schools,
and the last school, located in Saskatchewan, closed in 1996 (thecanadianencyclopedia). The video
portrays pictures of Native women seemingly insecure and feeling shame, all the while searching
for the inner strength to heal from the atrocities that many of their ancestors endured. As the video
progresses, so does the feeling of hope.

FAMILY AND ITS ROLE

Conclusion
It takes a village to raise a child is an African proverb that supports the theory that all family
members have a role in the development of its youngest members. The homes manifest function is
to provide practical and emotional support to its members; leaving us with images of the family
dinner table, as violins play magically in the background; where the bounty includes conversation,
love, and laughter. It conjures up strong emotions that only the love and support of family can
evoke. Undeniably, the family unit is the template in which socialization occurs; good, bad, and the
ugly, and it is under the premise that the family unit plays the first and most important roles in
creating a stable member of society. The residential school atrocities are a perfect example of when
family values and ethics (developmental markers) are not supported, that it can strongly influence
future generations, and in the case of the Native an entire band of people. The events shaped a
future of self-medication, and abuses within their own community. The kin of their attackers paints
even those that have found solace and healing with the brush of negative stereotypes, and although
we think of this as a past carnage, its influence has stretched far beyond the schoolhouse walls of
yesteryear.

FAMILY AND ITS ROLE

References
African Proverbs, Saying and Stories. African Proverb of the Month November 1998. Retrieved
(May 2014) from hhttp://www.afriprov.org/index.php/African-proverb-of-the-month/231998proverbs/137-november-1998-proverb.html
Historica Canada. (October 2013). Residential Schools. Retrieved from
http://thecanadianencyclopedia.com/en/article/residential-schools/
John Steckley & Guy Kirby Letts. (2010). Elements of Sociology. A Critical Canadian
Introduction. Oxford University Press.
Kevin D. Annett (M.A M.Div). (May 25, 2012). Hidden No Longer: Genocide in Canada, Past
and Present. Sovcomnet.
Nancy Mandell, Ann Duffy. (2010). Canadian Families: Diversity, Conflict, and Change. Fourth
Edition. [Digital Edition]: ISBN-13: 978-0176442675
North American Society of Adlerian Psychology. (2011). Retrieved (May 2014) from
http://www.alfredadler.org/alfred-adler
Psychology Today. (1991 2014). Retrieved (May 2014) from
psychology.about.com/library/bl_psychosocial_summary.htm
Steven E. Barkan. (September 2010). Robert K. Merton. Sociology: Understanding and
Changing the Social World, Brief Edition, v. 1.0. [Digital Version]: 09-2010

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You Tube Videos. (2009). From Stilettos to Moccasins. Retrieved from

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1QRb8wA2iHs