The family is the basic institution and foundation of every society. It links individuals to the community and ensures the survival of humans through socialization and reproduction.
The definition of a family varies by society, time period in history, as well as by class, race, and ethnicity within society.
The Functionalist Perspective of the Family
- The functionalist perspective is concerned with how the family helps to maintain social order and stability for the entire society. It looks at several functions performed by the family:
- Regulation of sexual behavior through incest taboo and mate selection
- Replacement of members of society through reproduction
- Care and protection of family members
- Social placement/stratification
- Emotional support
The Conflict Perspective of the Family
- The conflict perspective argues that men benefit the most from the family arrangement. Traditional families are male-dominated institutions wherein the male is the head of the household and the breadwinner>
- Studies of wedding practices and legal codes relating to marital relationships demonstrate that women are subordinate to men in every society. In the past and present, men are given more rights and privileges than women.
- Family or domestic violence, especially between husbands and wives, may involve verbal or physical abuse. An estimated 6 million women suffer beatings annually from their boyfriends or husbands. Family violence is linked to gender inequality in society as a whole.
Divorce in the U.S.
- Divorce usually means that the marriage has failed. The U.S. has the world's highest divorce rate (50% of all marriages). Children (those under 18) are involved in over 70% of families that break up as a result of divorce.
- Explanations for why divorce occurs range from personal to structural reasons. Some reasons include:
- The increased level of education, economic independence, and employment opportunities for women
- The decline in moral, social, and religious sanctions which stigmatized those who divorced
- Liberal divorce laws, such as "no-fault" divorce
- The Feminization of Poverty - the economic difficulties faced by divorced women with children - is associated with high divorce rates. Divorced women face two significant economic problems:
- Most women do not receive adequate alimony and child support. Some have suggested that there should be payroll deductions for these purposes.
- Divorced women tend to fill low-paying jobs and can not afford adequate child care.
The Changing Family Structure
- About 50% of U.S. adults see the nuclear family as the ideal type of family; however, the nuclear family represents only 10% of families in the U.S. Alternatives to the nuclear family include:
- Single parent families - these are usually female headed; they are becoming the most common alternative to the nuclear family (30% of U.S. families)
- Serial monogamy - results from increased rates of divorce and individuals who marry more than once; involves commitment to marriage--one spouse at a time
- Reconstituted families - consists of children from both parents who remarry; serial monogamy when children are involved
- Cohabitation - living together before marriage or as an alternative to marriage; common among young adults due to economic reasons or as preparation for marriage
- Communal living - common among religious sects; involves the sharing of sexual relationships and child-rearing responsibilities
- Childless couples - married couples who choose not to have children (e.g., for career advancement)
- Open marriage - involves an open exchange of sexual partners or acceptance of extra-marital relations by both spouses
- Same sex marriages - involves either gay men or lesbian women; partners fight for the same rights given to heterosexual couples; they are increasingly adopting children or using "surrogate mothers" to bear children for them.