UNIT – II : Family

WHAT IS FAMILY?

Definitions- done

Explanation of the term:

Family is considered the most fundamental and ancient social unit. It's basically a group that starts with
marriage, involving a husband, wife, and their kids (and sometimes other relatives). Families create
legal, economic, and religious bonds, with duties, privileges, and a set of rules about relationships.
Another way to see family is as a bunch of people connected by blood, marriage, or adoption, living
together and responsible for raising children.

According to Levi Strauss, families perform crucial functions in society, like living together, working
together economically, and having kids. Even though families are made up of individuals, they're part of
a larger social network and not isolated from other social institutions.

In simpler terms, family is the most important group in society. It's all about the specific and lasting
relationships between people that make child-rearing possible. Families can be a long-lasting connection
between a husband and wife, with or without children, or a person on their own with children. It's a
group of people living together, interacting as husband and wife, parents, siblings, and creating a shared
way of life.

OR

The family is considered the oldest and most basic unit of social organization. It's like a group that starts
when people get married, including the husband, wife, and their kids (and sometimes other relatives).
Families have legal, economic, and religious ties, and they set rules about relationships and love.
Another way to think of a family is as a group of people who are related by blood, marriage, or adoption,
living together and taking care of children.

In simpler terms, families are groups of people who know they're related because of parents, marriage,
or adoption. They do important things that other groups in society can't do as well, like living together,
working together, and having kids. Even though families are made up of individuals, they're part of a
bigger social network and connect with other parts of society. Families are really important in society
because they're the main groups where children are raised.

Basically, a family is a group of people who are married, related, or adopted, living together and looking
after each other. They have special roles like mom, dad, brother, and sister, and they share their way of
life with each other.

Characteristics/Features of Family
 It is a universal group: It is found in one form or another, in all types
of societies whether primitive or modern.
 Marriage as the basis: A family is based on marriage, which results in a
mating relationship between two adults of the opposite sex.
 Source of nomenclature: Every house provides an individual with a name,
and hence, it is a source of nomenclature.
 Trace of ancestry: It is the group through which descent or ancestry can
be traced.
 The primary agent of socialization: It is the most basic group as it is the
primary agent of socialization of an individual.
 Various forms: It is generally limited in size such as nuclear, even large,
joint, and extended families.
 The nucleus of all institutions: It is the most important group in society; it
is the nucleus of all institutions, organizations, and groups.
 Emotional attachment: It is based on emotions and sentiments. Mating,
procreation, love, and affection are the basis of family ties.
 Unit of cooperation: It is a unit of emotional and economic cooperation.
 Division of labor: Each member of the house has duties and
responsibilities.
 Social roles: Each family is made up of different social roles, like those of
husband, wife, mother, father, children, brothers, or sisters
TYPES OF FAMILY:

Based on size: Nuclear family & Joint\ Extended family:

Nuclear-

The nuclear family system is a social structure that consists of a married couple and their children living
together in one household. Here are six characteristics of the nuclear family system:

1. Small size: The nuclear family typically consists of a small number of members, usually parents
and their children. This small size allows for closer relationships and more intimate interactions
among family members.

2. Autonomy: The nuclear family is an independent unit that operates separately from other
relatives or extended family members. It has its own decision-making processes and is
responsible for its own financial and emotional well-being.

3. Emphasis on the conjugal bond: The nuclear family places a strong emphasis on the relationship
between the married couple. The couple's bond is considered the foundation of the family, and
their commitment to each other is crucial for the stability and functioning of the family unit.

4. Child-centered: In the nuclear family, children are the primary focus. Parents are responsible for
their upbringing, education, and overall well-being. The family structure allows for more
individualized attention and support for each child.

5. Geographical mobility: Nuclear families are often more mobile compared to extended families.
They may move to different locations for job opportunities or other reasons. This mobility can
provide flexibility and adaptability but may also result in reduced support from extended family
members.

6. Flexibility in gender roles: In the nuclear family, gender roles are often more flexible compared
to traditional or extended family systems. Both parents may share household responsibilities,
parenting duties, and financial obligations. This flexibility allows for a more egalitarian division of
labor within the family.

These characteristics may vary across different cultures and societies, but they generally define the
nuclear family system.

Joint-: definition, characteristics left.

Pauline Kolenda (1987: 11-2) presents the following types of joint family on the
basis of the relatives who are its members.

a) Collateral joint family: It comprises two or more married couples between

whom there is a sibling bond. In this type, usually a brother and his wife and
another brother and his wife live together with unmarried children.

b) Supplemented collateral joint family: It is a collateral joint family along

with unmarried, divorced or widowed relatives. The supplemented relatives
are generally the widowed mother of the married brothers or the widower
father, or an unmarried sibling.

c) Lineal joint family: Two couples, between whom there is a lineal link, like
between a parent and his married son or some times between a parent and
his married daughter, live together.

d) Supplemented lineal joint family: It is a lineal joint family together with

unmarried, divorced or widowed relatives who do not belong to either of the
lineally linked nuclear families; for example, the father’s widower brother or
the son’s wife’s unmarried brother or sister.

e) Lineal collateral joint family: In this type three or more couples are linked
lineally and collaterally. For instance we can have a family consisting of parents
and their two or more married sons together with the unmarried children of
the couples.

f) Supplemented lineal - collateral joint family: In this type are found a

lineal collateral joint family plus unmarried, widowed, separated relatives who
belong to one of the nuclear families (lineally and collaterally linked), for
example, the father’s widowed sister or brother or an unmarried nephew of
the father

Based on authority: Patriarchal and Matiarchal

Definition and characteristic. Comparison.