• What is family?

– Family is a key social

institution in all societies,
which makes it a cultural
universal.
– Similarly, values and norms
surrounding marriage are
found all over the world in
every culture, so marriage
and family are both cultural
universals.
– Broad definition is people that
consider themselves related
by blood, marriage or
adoption
 Family
Structures
• 1. Nuclear family: Two parents, children (common in
Western societies).
• 2. Extended family: Multiple generations, relatives living
together (common in many Asian and African cultures).
• 3. Family of orientation- family that person grows up in.
• 4. Family of procreation- formed when couple has their
first child.
• 5. Single-parent household: One parent, children
(increasingly common globally).
Marriage
• Marriage is a legally recognized social contract
between two people, traditionally based on a
sexual relationship and implying a permanence of
the union.
• Marriage is a cultural universal, and like family, it
takes many forms. Who gets married, what the
marriage means to the couple and to the society,
why people get married (i.e. economic, political, or
for love), and how it occurs (i.e. wedding or other
ceremony) vary widely within societies and
between societies.
 Cultural Variations
• 1. Arranged marriages: Common in India,
Pakistan, and other South Asian countries.
2. Love marriage: A love marriage
is one which is driven solely by the
couple, with or without consent of
their parents, as opposed to
arranged marriage.:
• 3. Same-sex marriage: Legal in many Western
countries, but not recognized in others.
• 4. Dowry system: Practiced in some African
and Asian cultures, where the bride's family
pays a dowry to the groom's family.
 Global Trends
• 1. Decline of traditional marriage: More people are choosing non-
traditional forms of partnership or remaining single.
• 2. Increased divorce rates: More couples are divorcing, leading to
changes in family structures.
• 3. Growing recognition of LGBTQ+ rights: More countries are
recognizing same-sex marriage and other LGBTQ+ rights.

• These are just a few examples of the diverse ways marriage and
family are structured and recognized globally. Each culture has its
unique customs, traditions, and values surrounding marriage and
family.
Common Cultural Themes
• Each group establishes norms of who
marries whom
• Endogamy- members must marry
within groups, sometimes written into
law
• Exogamy- must marry outside of group
– Incest taboo example of exogamy
• All societies have system of descent
(how you are related to others)
• Bilateral Family used in our culture
(trace through mother and father)
• Other types patrilineal (trace through
father), matrilineal (trace through
mother)
• Incest taboo- helps families avoid role confusion
– Forces people to look outside of family for
marriage partners
– Isolation and overload are dysfunctions

• Isolation of nuclear family, extended family

becomes less important
– Not as many people to rely on for material and
emotional support, stresses spread among
fewer people (causes emotional overload,
makes family vulnerable to more dysfunction)
• Structural Functionalism:

• 1. Family as a social institution: Provides stability,

socialization, and economic support.
• 2. Marriage as a social contract: Regulates
relationships, establishes roles, and mai
• Conflict Theory:

• 1. Power dynamics: Marriage and family can

perpetuate inequality, with one partner or family
member holding more power.
• 2. Economic exploitation: Family members may be
exploited for labor or resources.ntains social order.
• Symbolic Interactionism:
• 1. Meaning-making: Marriage and family are constructed through shared meanings, symbols, and
interactions.
• 2. Identity formation: Family roles and relationships shape individual identities.
• Feminist Theory:
• 1. Patriarchal structures: Marriage and family can reinforce patriarchal power dynamics, oppressing women.
• 2. Gender roles: Traditional gender roles can limit individual choices and opportunities.
• Queer Theory:
• 1. Challenging heteronormativity: Marriage and family can be redefined to include non-heterosexual
relationships.
• 2. Fluid identities: Family and relationships can be constructed outside traditional binary frameworks.
• Postmodern Theory:
• 1. Deconstruction of traditional norms: Marriage and family are not fixed or universal, but rather social
constructs.
• 2. Diversity and complexity: Family forms and relationships are diverse and complex, resisting simplistic
definitions.
• These theoretical perspectives offer insights into the complex and multifaceted nature of marriage and family .
• The Family Life Cycle
(FLC) refers to the stages
that families go through
from formation to
dissolution. Here's a
breakdown of the
traditional FLC stages:
• 1. Courtship: Romantic partnership formation.
• 2. Marriage: Legal union, commitment, and merging of
resources.
• 3. Childbearing: Having children, adjusting to
parenthood.
• 4. Childrearing: Raising children, managing family
responsibilities.
• 5. Launching: Children leave home, start
independence.
• 6. Empty Nest: Children have left, couple adjusts to
new dynamic.
• 7. Retirement: Couple's work life slows, focuses on
leisure, relationships.
• 8. Old Age: Decline in health, eventual dissolution of
the family unit.
 Modern variations of the FLC
• Modern variations of the FLC include:-
Single-parent households-
• Blended families-
• Non-traditional partnerships (e.g., same-
sex couples)-
• Childfree couples- Multigenerational
households.
One Parent Families
• Increase in number recently
• More likely to live in poverty,
primary source of strain
• Women usually head of one
parent families
• Children more likely to do
poorly in school, have
emotional problems and
economic hardships
Families without children
• Childlessness has grown over past
20 years
• Common reason is sense of
freedom
• More education for women,
acceptance of contraception, high
cost of raising children cited as
reasons
Blended Families
• Significantly increasing because of
divorce
• Creates complicated family
relationships
Gay and lesbian families
• More common in European countries
• 2004 Mass. First state to legalize gay marriage
• Most couples with children located in larger
cities
• 1/5 previously married, have children from
heterosexual marriage
• Same sex couples more likely to breakup