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SEM I. Sociology

Bachelors of Law (Hidayatullah National Law University)

Studocu is not sponsored or endorsed by any college or university

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A project based on:

FAMILY AND KINSHIP STRUCTURE IN INDIA

Submitted to

Dr. Uttam Kumar Panda

Assistant Professor

By

Gourav Mundra
B. A. LL. B. (Hons.) Student
Semester-I, Section- C, Roll No.- 66

Hidayatullah National Law University

Uparwara Post, Nava Raipur – 492002 (C.G)

Date of Submission: 23-10-2019

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DECLARATION

I, the undersigned, solemnly declare that this project work titled, <Family and Kinship
structure in India= is based on my own research work, carried out during the course of my
study, under the supervision and guidance of my faculty advisor.

I assert that the statements made and the conclusion drawn are the outcome of the said
research work. I further declare that, to the best of my knowledge and belief, proper
references have been given and it does not contain any part of any work that has been
submitted for the award of any other degree in this university or any other university.

Gourav Mundra

Semester-I (C), Batch XIX,

Roll No. 3 66

HNLU, Raipur

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CERTIFICATE

This is to certify that Mr. Gourav Mundra, Roll No. 66, has submitted his Project titled <Family
and Kinship Structure in India= in partial fulfilment of the requirement for the Award of Degree
of B.A.LLB (Hons.) to Hidayatullah National Law University, Nava Raipur under my guidance
and supervision. It is also affirmed that the Project submitted by his is a bona-fide and genuine
research.

II

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

I, Gourav Mundra, would like to take up this opportunity to thank all those who have stood
by me throughout the duration of this project and helped me in completing it.

Foremost my teacher and mentor Dr. Uttam kumar Panda Sir. I thank him for his faith in me
to provide me with such a topic of research. His constant guidance at every step and keen
attention to detail have been elementary in the completion of this project.

The college administration and staff had no less a part in this job. The value of their support
cannot be expressed in mere words.

Finally, I would like to thank God for his benevolence and grace in enabling me to finish this
task. I express my heartfelt gratitude to everyone involved.

Thank You,

Gourav Mundra

B. A. LL. B. (Hons.)

Semester-I, Section-C, Roll No.-66

Batch- XIX

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. Declaration………………………………………………. I
2. Certificate……………………………………………….… II
3. Acknowledgement………………………………………... III
4. Introduction……………………………………………...… 1
5. Review of Literature………………………………………. 2
6. Objective………………………………………………...… 4
7. Research Question……………………………………...…. 4
8. Research Methodology……………………………………. 4
9. Chapterisation…………………………………………...… 5

10. Family: It9s Structure, Characteristics, and Functions…….6

11. Types or Forms of Family……………………………….. 11

12. Kinship: A Basic Concept………………………………...15

13. Conclusion………………………………………………..18

14. References………………………………………………...19

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INTRODUCTION

In India, the family is the most important institution that has survived through the ages. India,
like most other less industrialised, traditional, eastern societies is a collectivist society that
emphasizes family integrity, family loyalty, and family unity.

Kinship system represents one of the basic social institutions. Kinship is universal and in most
societies play a significant role in the socialisation of individuals and the maintenance of group
solidary. It is supremely important in the primitive societies and extends its influence on almost
all their activities- social, economic, political, religious, etc

For the Hindu family, extended family and kinship ties are of utmost importance. In India,
families adhere to a patriarchal ideology, follow the patrilineal rule of descent, are patrilocal,
have familiarlistic value orientations, and endorse traditional gender role preferences. The
beauty about the Indian culture lies in its age-long prevailing tradition of the joint family
system. It9s a system under which even extended members of a family like one9s parents,
children, the children9s spouses and their offspring, etc. live together. The elder-most, usually
the male member is the head in the joint Indian family system who makes all important
decisions and rules, whereas other family members abide by it dutifully with full respect. With
the advent of urbanization and modernization, younger generations are turning away from the
joint family form. Today, the Indian family and Kinship structure is subjected to the effects of
changes that have been taking place in the economic, political, social and cultural spheres of
the society. In the economic sphere, the patterns of production, distribution and consumption
have changed greatly. The process of industrialization and the consequent urbanisation and
commercialisation have had drastic impacts on the family. Migration to urban areas, growth of
slums, change from caste oriented and hereditary occupations to new patterns of employment
offered by a technological revolution, the cut-throat competition for economic survival and
many other economic changes have left their impact on the family. Briefly speaking, these
changes in the socioeconomic-political-cultural milieu of our society have led to changes in
the structures, functions, roles, relationships and values of the family. In the context of the
changes in the economic system more and more members of the family are moving away from
the larger family circle and living as individuals or members of a nuclear unit in urban areas.

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REVIEW OF LITERATURE

1. Sociology Guide, Main Characteristics of family. 3

this article was a comprehensive guide for the topic main characteristics of family. The
sections relating to characteristics of family are extensive and hence proved helpful in my
research.

2. Shodhaganga, The Indian Family System 3

In this article, an introductory theme, definition and meaning of family is presented. Indian
family system and contemporary changes affecting the family structure in India in terms of
disturbed family, changes in marital status, and problems of children are addressed in detail.

3.Horton, Paul & Hunt, Chester, Sociology, 232, (New Delhi: Tata McGraw-Hill Publishing
Co., Ltd., 1991) 3

This book was a very enlightening read and several portions of this project have been inspired
by this book. It gives a detailed explanation of functions and characteristics of a family.

4. Puja Mondal, Family: Meaning, Characteristics, Function and Types 3

The article is a detailed study on meaning, characteristics, functions and types of family.

5. Timothy J. Biblarz, Adrian E. Raftery and Alexander Bucur, Family Structure and Social
Mobility-

Different types of family structures experienced during childhood have varying effects on
men's socioeconomic attainment and social mobility. Holding origin occupational
characteristics constant, men (both white and African American) from a mother-headed family
structure do as well as men from two-biological-parent families. In contrast, there is a negative
effect of other types of family structures (father-headed, stepfamily) on socioeconomic

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attainment. Also, intergenerational occupational inheritance - from male family head to son or
from female family head to son - is strongest when the mother is present, weakest when the
mother is absent. The farther alternative family structures take sons away from their mothers,
the more the intergenerational transmission process breaks down.

6. Evelyn Korn, On the Formation of Family Structures-

Hitherto, models of family economics focus on explaining the organization of monogamous

and polygynous family patterns. A third existing marriage pattern, polyandrous marriages, has
been neglected. This paper shows that - in contrast to the common view - a polyandrous
marriage may be individually rational. I consider a game theoretic model of a subsistence
economy whose members maximize their personal reproductive success. In this model, all
three family formations can appear as equilibrium solutions.

7. William I. Cohen, Critical Family Events-

Changes in the family structure represent nodal points that can have a significant impact on a
child. Most of these events, such as the birth of a sibling or the death of a parent or grandparent,
are likely to have predictable consequences, allowing the physician to anticipate the typical
reactions and offer timely guidance. Nevertheless, the particular structure of a given family and
its available resources become a better predictor of whether the parents (and consequently the
child) will be able to navigate these rocky shoals. An understanding of the family life cycle,
the developmental stage of the child, the family9s emotional and economic resources, and the
symptoms of childhood problems guides the physician in assessing which families are coping,
and which may need monitoring and intervention. As in other areas of developmental-
behavioral pediatrics, the identification of child and family counseling services facilitates
timely referral when needed.

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Objectives

• To study in detail the Structure of Family along with its function, types and
characteristics in India
• To understand the Kinship Structure in India.
• To study Types of Structure of Family.

Research Questions

• What are the factors responsible for the change in structure of Family in India?
• Is modernity, a hurdle in family and kinship structure?
• What are the factors responsible for the change in structure of Kinship in India?

Research Methodology

Nature of Research -

This research work is descriptive in nature. It describes current as well as previous structure of
Family and Kinship prevailing in India. The project is focused on the topics related with family
and kinship structure

Sources of Data-

As the topic provided is non-doctrinal which is related to socio-legal research, the information
is collected and submerged. Secondary data is considered for the project. Hence, the reaserch
is completed with the help of secondary data only.

Method of Data Collection-

This secondary information has been obtained from many published sources such as books,
journals, newspapers, official websites, government publications etc.

Mode of Citation-

A uniform mode of citation has been adopted and followed consistently throughout this paper.

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CHAPTERISATION

1. Family: It9s nature, characteristics and functions

• What is a Family?
• Family Structure
• General Characteristics of the Family
• Basic functions of the Family

2. Types and Forms of Family

• Based on basic structure
• Based on different area

3. Kinship: A Basic Concept

• Meaning of Kinship
• Definition of Kinship
• Structural principle of kinship
• Types of Kinship
• Usages of Kinship

4. Conclusion

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CHAPTER-I FAMILY: IT’S STRUCTURE,

CHARACTERISTICS AND FUNCTIONS

What is a Family;

A family is a group of people who are related to each other, especially parents and their
children.

In the context of human society, a family derived from the Latin word familia) is a group of
people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth), affinity (by marriage or other
relationship), or co-residence or some combination of these. Members of the immediate family
may include spouses, parents, brothers, sisters, sons, and daughters. Members of the extended
family may include grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, nephews, nieces, and siblings-in-law.
Sometimes these are also considered members of the immediate family, depending on an
individual's specific relationship with them.

In most societies, the family is the principal institution for the socialization of children. As the
basic unit for raising children, anthropologists generally classify most family organizations as

• matrifocal (a mother and her children)

• conjugal (a wife, her husband, and children, also called the nuclear family)

• avuncular (for example, a grandparent, a brother, his sister, and her children)

• extended (parents and children co-reside with other members of one parent's family).

Sexual relations among the members are regulated by rules concerning incest such as the incest
taboo. The word "family" can be used metaphorically to create more inclusive categories such
as community, nationhood, global village, and humanism.

Family, a basic unit of social structure, the exact definition of which can vary greatly from time
to time and from culture to culture. How a society defines family as a primary group, and the
functions it asks families to perform, are by no means constant. In India the family is the most
important institution that has survived through the ages. India, like most other less
industrialised, traditional, eastern societies is a collectivist society that emphasizes family
integrity, family loyalty, and family unity.

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FAMILY STRUCTURE IN INDIA

Family structure includes the people who are considered part of the family4present members,
as well as important figures from the past4and the quality of the relationships among them.
This information can help identify who should be included in an assessment, who might be
sources of support for older adults, and what relationships are flashpoints for potential conflict.
One way to document family structure is by constructing a genogram. A genogram is a visual
representation of a family's composition, structure, and relationships, constructed with a set of
standard symbols to depict the family Although there is no ideal or suboptimal family structure,
a genogram can provide preliminary but valuable information about the important personalities
in the family and their relationships. 1

Family structure can play a role in child development partly by affecting family dynamics, such
as how family members behave and interact. Family structures can facilitate families in
providing basic economic and resource support and love, feelings of value and competence,
companionship, and shared values. Families can connect their children to the community and
teach children how to get along in the world and to cope with adversity. Additionally,
successful families communicate with each other, spend time together, embrace a common
spiritual/religious belief system, and deal with crises adeptly.2

When it comes to family structure, diversity is the new norm4couples with children, some
married, some cohabitating, couples without children, same-sex couples, single parents, and
blended families created through re-marriage and re-partnering have relegated the concept of
the <nuclear= family to the distant past. While households composed of married couples (52%)
still predominate (an 11% increase from 1990 to 2000), the increase in people living alone
(26%) (a 23% increase from 1990 to 2000) is noteworthy. Increasing numbers of single parents
due to high rates of marital dissolution and even higher rates of partnership dissolution amongst
co- habitors further add to the stress of managing earning and caring. In this wake are the
increasing numbers of women and children who rely on a woman's income for their primary

1
brian d. carpenter, elizabeth a. mulligan, assessment with late-life families: Issues and Instruments,
handbook of assessment in clinical gerontology (Second Edition), 2010
2
craig garfield, variations in family and composition in Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrics (Fourth Edition),
2009

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source of financial support; US family households maintained by women with no husband

present are three times greater than single-father households.

In part, women's rising stature in the workplace has facilitated the independence of women and
their financial capacity to leave marital and other relationships that are no longer satisfactory.
The rising rates of sole support parents has necessitated a strong attachment to the labor force,
while also putting further pressure on and increasing the stress level for the individual who
plays the roles of both worker and primary parent with less income to purchase childcare and
home-related supports Therefore, the allocation of time and energy to paid and unpaid work is
not so straightforward. The dichotomy of earning and caring is central to this discussion, as is
the gendered nature of such care.

GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS OF THE FAMILY

Universality: There is no human society in which some form of the family does not appear.
Malinowski writes the typical family a group consisting of mother, father and their progeny is
found in all communities, savage, barbarians and civilized. The irresistible sex need, the urge
for reproduction and the common economic needs have contributed to this universality.

Emotional basis: The family is grounded in emotions and sentiments. It is based on our
impulses of mating, procreation, maternal devotion, fraternal love and parental care. It is built
upon sentiments of love, affection, sympathy, cooperation and friendship.

Limited size: The family is smaller in size. As a primary group its size is necessarily limited.
It is a smallest social unit.

Formative influence: The family welds an environment which surrounds trains and educates
the child. It shapes the personality and moulds the character of its members. It emotionally
conditions the child.

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Nuclear position in the social structure: The family is the nucleus of all other social
organizations. The whole social structure is built of family units.

Responsibility of the members: The members of the family has certain responsibilities, duties
and obligations. Maclver points out that in times of crisis men may work and fight and die for
their country but they toil for their families all their lives.

Social regulation: The family is guarded both by social taboos and by legal regulations. The
society takes precaution to safeguard this organization from any possible breakdown.

Source of nomenclature: Every family provides an individual with a name and hence is a
source of nomenclature.

Group through which ancestry could be traced: Family provides for a group through which
ancestry or descent could be traced.

BASIC FUNCTIONS OF THE FAMILY

1. Family is a unit through which procreation takes place. Marriage sanctions sexual
relationships, and it also establishes a family, which is further reinforced with the birth of
children.

2. The process of reproduction is institutionalized, regulated and controlled in a family. The

family legitimizes the act of reproduction.

3. Family helps in propagation of human species and perpetuation of human race.

4. Family provides an individual with an identity.

5. It is through the family that every family name is carried on from one generation to another.

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6. Family is responsible for the production and upbringing of children.

7. Family is an important agent of socialization. The primary socialization of any individual

takes place within the family. The immediate family members teach all the basic rules and
norms of social life to a child.

8. Family is also an important agent of cultural transmission. Culture is transmitted from one
generation to another through family. All the aspects of culture are learnt within the family
structure.

9. Family is a great source of strength, emotional and psychological, for its members. All the
members are aware that they can depend upon their family in the times of need.

10. Family provides an individual with a home, and establishes enduring social relationships.

11. The family is the basis of division of labour, where all members have their duties and
obligations towards each other.

12. A family fulfils the economic needs of its members. This function has undergone
transformation, with families moving from being production and consumption units in earlier
times, to becoming more of consuming units rather than a producing one. Now-a-days,
members of a family no longer produce things themselves; rather, they go out and work for
some monetary remuneration or wages.

13. Family is traditionally responsible for the education of the children.

14. Family also has a recreational function. Earlier, most recreation was family- based. Family
gatherings during festivals, functions, family reunions, marriages, brought entire families
together. Now-a-days, taking family members out on holidays or for movies, plays, dinners, or
parties, etc., perform the same function.

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CHAPTER-II TYPES OR FORMS OF FAMILY

Based on basic structure

Family structure has changed dramatically over the last 50 years. There are six specific types
of family structures identified by society today.

1. Nuclear Family

The nuclear family is the traditional type of family structure. This family type consists of two
parents and children. The nuclear family was long held in esteem by society as being the ideal
in which to raise children. Children in nuclear families receive strength and stability from the
two-parent structure and generally have more opportunities due to the financial ease of two
adults. According to U.S. Census data, almost 70 percent of children live in a nuclear family
unit.4

2. Single Parent Family

The single parent family consists of one parent raising one or more children on his own. Often,
a single parent family is a mother with her children, although there are single fathers as well.
The single parent family is the biggest change society has seen in terms of the changes in family
structures. One in four children is born to a single mother. Single parent families are generally
close and find ways to work together to solve problems, such as dividing up household chores.
When only one parent is at home, it may be a struggle to find childcare, as there is only one
parent working. This limits income and opportunities in many cases, although many single
parent families have support from relatives and friends.

3. Extended Family

The extended family structure consists of two or more adults who are related, either by blood
or marriage, living in the same home. This family includes many relatives living together and
working toward common goals, such as raising the children and keeping up with the household
duties. Many extended families include cousins, aunts or uncles and grandparents living
together. This type of family structure may form due to financial difficulties or because older

4
america’s living arrangements: 2010, united states census bureau
https://www.census.gov/population/www/socdemo/hh-fam/cps2010.html

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relatives are unable to care for themselves alone. Extended families are becoming increasingly
common all over the world.

4. Childless Family

While most people think of family as including children, there are couples who either cannot
or choose not to have children. The childless family is sometimes the "forgotten family," as it
does not meet the traditional standards set by society. Childless families consist of a husband
and wife living and working together. Many childless families take on the responsibility of pet
ownership or have extensive contact with their nieces and nephews as a substitute for having
their own children.

5. Step Family

Over half of all marriages end in divorce, and many of these individuals choose to get
remarried. This creates the step or blended family which involves two separate families
merging into one new unit. It consists of a new husband and wife and their children from
previous marriages or relationships. Step families are about as common as the nuclear family,
although they tend to have more problems5, such as adjustment periods and discipline issues.
Step families need to learn to work together and also work with their exes to ensure these family
units run smoothly.

6. Grandparent Family

Many grandparents today are raising their grandchildren for a variety of reasons. One in
fourteen children is raised by his grandparents, and the parents are not present in the child's
life.6 This could be due to parents' death, addiction, abandonment or being unfit parents. Many
grandparents need to go back to work or find additional sources of income to help raise their
grandchildren.

Based on different areas

1. Based on Birth:

Family of Orientation: The family in which an individual is born is his family of orientation.

5
Michael meyrhoff, understanding family structures and dynamics
6
Paola scommegna, more u.s. children raised by grandparents

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Family of Procreation: The family where an individual set up after his/her marriage is his/her
family of procreation.

The family of orientation and procreation may live together under the same roof, but can still
be distinguished.

2. Based on Marriage:

Monogamous Family: This family consists of one husband and wife, including children and is
based on monogamous marriages.

Polygynous Family: A family consisting of one husband, and more than one wife, and all the
children born to all the wives or adopted by each of them. This type of family has its basis in
the polygynous form of marriage.

Polyandrous Family: A family made up of one wife and more than one husband, and the
children, either born or adopted with each one of them. This family is based on polyandrous
marriage.

2. Based on Residence:

Family of Matrilocal Residence: When a couple stays in the wife9s house, the family is known
as family of matrilocal residence.

Family of Patrilocal Residence: When a family stays in the house of husband, the family is
known as family of patrilocal residence.

Family of Changing Residence: When a family stays in the husband9s house for some time,
and moves to wife9s house, stays there for a period of time, and then moves back to husband9s
parents, or starts living in another place, the family is called a family of changing residence.

4. Based on Ancestry or Descent:

Matrilineal Family: When ancestry or descent is traced through the female line, or through the
mother9s side, the family is called matrilineal family.

Patrilineal Family: A family in which the authority is carried down the male line, and descent
is traced through the male line or the father9s side, is called a patrilineal family.

5. Based on Authority:

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Matriarchal Family: Matriarchal families are generally found in matrilineal societies. In these
families, a woman is the head of the family, and authority is vested in her. Succession of
property is through the female line, i.e., only daughters inherit the property.

After marriage, the husband resides in the wife9s house and descent is traced through the
mother9s side. Here, children are brought up in mother9s house. Thus, in matriarchal societies,
the matrilocal system exists. Matriarchal families are found only in matrilineal societies, which
are very limited in number all over the world. They are found in parts of Latin America, Ceylon,
parts of Africa and India (the Khasis and the Garos).

Patriarchal Family: Patriarchal families are commonly found in all parts of the world, since
most societies in the world are patrilineal societies. In patriarchal families, the head of the
family is a male, and authority is vested in him. Descent and property is passed through the
male line and children are brought up in father9s house. Such families are patrilocal in nature.

6. Based on the Nature of Relations:

Conjugal Family: The conjugal family is made up of adults among whom there is a sexual
relationship. It refers to a family system of spouses and their dependent children. The emphasis
is placed on the marital relationship that exists between spouses. In modern times, the term
8conjugal family9 is being used for partners, who have a long- term sexual relationship, but are
not actually married.

Consanguine Family: A consanguine family is made up of members among whom a blood

relation exists, or those who are consanguineal kin, i.e., a family consisting of parent(s) and
children, or siblings (brothers, sisters, or brothers and sisters).

7. Based on state or structure:

Nuclear Family: A nuclear family is a small group consisting of a husband, a wife and children,
natural or adopted. It is more or less an autonomous unit that is not under the control of adults
or elders of the family. It consists of two generations only. In all modern societies, nuclear
family is the most common type of family. In fact, nuclear family is both the consequence as
well as the cause of the disintegration of joint family.

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CHAPTER- III KINSHIP: A BASIC CONCEPT

MEANING

Kinship system is one of the basic social institutions, which is universal and plays a significant
role in the socialisation of individuals and the maintenance of group solidary. It is supremely
important in the primitive societies and extends its influence on almost all their activities 3
social, economic, political, religious etc.

DEFINITION

1. Kinship is <a system of dynamics relations between person and person in a community,
the behaviour of any two persons in any of these relations being regulated in same way,
and to a greater or less extent by social usage=
-A. R. Radcliffe Brown

2. <Kinship is simply the relations between 8kin9 that is persons related by real, putative
or fictive consanguinity=
-Robin Fox

3. <The social relationships deriving from blood ties (real and supposed) and marriage
are collectively referred to as kinship=
-Aberchrombie and others

In other words, The bond of blood or marriage which binds people together in group is called
Kinship.

STRUCTURAL PRINCIPLES OF KINSHIP

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The kinship system is governed by some basic principles which can be called the <facts of life=.
Robin Fox speaks of four such basic principles which are mentioned below-

1. The women have the children

2. The men impregnate the women
3. The men usually exercise control9
4. Primary kin do not mate with each other

The principles emphasise the basic biological fact on which kinship system depends. Men and
women indulge in sexual interaction and as a result woman bear children. This leads to blood
ties between the individuals and the special terms are used to recognise this relationship:
mother, child, father. The relationship based on blood ties is called <Consanguineous kinship=,
and the relatives of this kind are called 8consanguineous kin9.

The desire for reproduction gives rise to another kind of binding relationship. <This kind of
bond which arises out of a social or legally defined marital relationship, is called affinal
relationship=, and the relatives so related are called <affinal kin=. The affinal kins [husband
and wife] are not related to one another through blood.

TYPES OF KINSHIP

Kinship has got various ramifications. On the basis of nearness or distance, kins are classified
into 3 types:

1. Primary Kins- Every family who belongs to the nuclear family finds his primary kins
within the family. There are 8 primary kins; husband-wife, father-son, mother-son,
father-daughter, mother-daughter, younger brother-elder brother, younger sister-elder
sister and brother-sister.

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2. Secondary Kins- Outside the nuclear family the individual can have 33 types of
secondary relatives: Examples: Mother9s brother, brother9s wife, sister9s husband,
father9s brother, etc.

3. Tertiary Kins- Tertiary kins refer to the secondary kins of our primary kins. Example:
Wife9s brother9s son, Sister9s husband9s brother, and so on.

USAGES OF KINSHIP

Kinship usages or the rules of kinship are significant in understanding kinship system as such.
Kinship Usages serve two main purposes:

1. Firstly, they create groups or special groupings or kin. Example: Family, extended
family, clan etc.

2. Secondly, the kinship rules govern the role of relationships among the kins. Kinship
usage provides guidelines for interaction among persons in these social groupings. It
defines proper and acceptable role relationships. Thus it acts as a regulator of social
life.

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CONCLUSION

Right from ancient times, family and kinship has been the dominating institution both
in the life of the individual and in the life. It is one of the most important social
institutions. Most of the world9s population lives in family and kinship units; it is an
important primary group in the society. Family and kinship are the most pervasive and
universal social institution. It plays a vital role in the socialization of individuals.
Family is regarded as the first society of human beings.

It is known as the first school of citizenship. One is born in family, grows in it, works
for it and dies in it. One develops emotional attachment to it. The parental care imparts
to the child the first lesson in social responsibility and acceptance of self-discipline.
Family is the backbone of social structure. It occupies a nuclear position in society.
Though it is a universal institution, its structure or form vary from one society to
another. Sociologists and anthropologists have mentioned about different types of
families found in different cultures.

Knowledge of the characteristics of family and kinship structure may be helpful to the
paediatrician for predicting child abuse. During the past several decades progressive
shifts from the classic family unit of two biological parents and their children to a
variety of parental living arrangements have occurred. Most notable are the increases
in teenage pregnancies, unmarried motherhood, divorce rates approximating 50% of
marriage rates, and frequency of unrelated surrogate parents, most often male,
cohabitating in the home. In these settings, identifiable characteristics of the mother,
the father or surrogate, the child, the family history, and the immediate neighbourhood
of the family have been associated with a greater likelihood of child and/or spousal
abuse. The accumulated information may be used for preventative intervention.

It is hence, difficult to resist the conclusion that we stand at cross-roads. Will the future
bring about the further decay of long-term marriages or partnerships? Will we more and
more inhabit an emotional and sexual landscape scarred by bitterness and violence? No
one can say for certain. But the analysis of its structures swill help us to come to a
solution to this unresolving problem.

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REFRENCES

BIBLIOGRAPHY

1. C. N. Shankar Rao
2. Horton n Hunt
3. Pooja Mondal
4. Willian I Cohen
5. Evelyn Korn

WEBLIOGRAPHY

1. www.economictimes.indiantimes.com
2. www.census.gov.html
3.www.yourarticlelibrary.com

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