Ch.11 Notes

I. Families Global Perspective

* The standard FAMILY definition - a group of people who are related to one another by bonds of blood, marriage or adoption and who live together, form an economic unit and bear and raise children

o Not reality in contemporary society (2003)

* An accurate definition of FAMILY - relationships in which people live together with commitment, form an economic unit and care for any young, and consider their identity to be significantly attached to the group

A. Family Structure & characteristics

* Kinship - a social network of people based on common ancestry, marriage or adoption

o In a pre-industrial society - kinship networks operate to acquire basic necessities for life, to transfer property, to produce and distribute goods and gain power

o In an industrialized society - families serve fewer and more specialized purpose and are responsible for regulating sexual activities, socializing children and providing affection and companionship for family members

* FAMILY OF ORIENTATION - the family into which a person is born and in which early socialization usually takes place

* FAMILY OF PROCREATION - the family that a person forms by having or adopting children

* FAMILIES WE CHOOSE - social arrangements that include intimate relationships between couples and close familial relationships among other couples and other adults and children

o FICTIVE KIN - persons who are not actually related by blood but who are accepted as family members (Judy Root Aulette 1994)

* EXTENDED FAMILY - a family unit composed of relatives in addition to parents and children who live in the same household

o Family members share resources

* Horticulture/agriculture societies: extended families are important to survive

? Found in Latin America, Africa, Asia and parts of Eastern/Southern Europe

* Industrialization societies: maintaining extended family pattern is more difficult

? The nuclear family becomes the predominate family form

* NUCLEAR FAMILY - a family composed of 1 or 2 parents & their dependent children, all whom live apart form other relatives

o From 1970 to 2000 > a significant decline in the % of US households comprising of a married couples

B. Marriage Patterns

* MARRIAGE - a legally recognized &/or socially approved arrangements between 2 or more individual that carries certain rights and obligations and usually involves sexual activity. There are different forms:

o The only legal sanctioned form in the US is MONOGAMY: a marriage between 2 partners, usually a man and a woman

o POLYGAMY: a concurrent marriage of a person of 1 sex with 2 or more members of the opposite sex

* Most prevalent form is POLYGYNY: the concurrent marriage of 1 man with 2 or more women

? Practiced in many societies of Europe until the Middle Ages, & Islamic societies in Africa & Asia

? Limited by sex ratios

? Only possible for wealthy men because of cost of caring for both wives

* POLYANDRY: the concurrent marriage of 1 woman and 2 or more men

? Very rarely found but only in societies where the men out number the women greatly

C. Patterns of Descent & Inheritance

* Variety of patterns of marriage exist but all kinds establish a system of descent so that kinship can be determined & inheritance rights established

o Most common: PATRILINEAL DESCENT - a system of tracing descent through the father's side of the family

* The legitimated sons inherit the father's property & sometimes his position upon his death

o Less common: MATRILINEAL DESCENT - a system of tracing descent through the mother's side of the family

* The women may not control property but the inheritance is trace from the maternal uncle (mother's brother) to the son (mother's son)

o In industrial societies: BILATERIAL DESCENT - a system of tracing descent through both the mother's and the father's side of the family

* Used in US but children typically take the father's name

D. Power & Authority in Families

* Descent & Inheritance rights are intricately linked patterns of power & authority in families

o PATRIARCHAL FAMILY - a family structured in which authority is held by the eldest male (father)

o MATRIARCHAL FAMILY - a family structured in which authority is held by the eldest female (mother)