Anthropology Optional (Impact of Urbanization on Family) by Sourabh Mishra

Model Answer

Question #1. Examine family both as a social group and as an institution. Describe the functions of family and household, Indicating recent changes.  10 marks (150 words)

 Approach

1. Introduce Social group and as an institution
2. Functions of Family like marriage
3. Family as a Household
4. Characteristic feature of household
5. Recent changes and trends in family and household
6. Conclude the social group, functions of family and household with respect to kinship, marriage, economy, polity, religion and education

 Hints:

Introduction:

It consists of people who are connected to each other by ties of marriage, blood or adoption. Family is a social group which symbolizes a system of human socio-cultural and biological unit and enhances development of a society by acting as a building block.

 Family is a concrete manifestation of societies that embraces sets of ideas and assumptions which reflects the values and helps in understanding the society at individual level and group level. Family acts as a viable and operational social unit which is never studied/understood in isolation, always talked in terms of kinship, gender and social structure.

 Functions of Family like marriage: Family has also distinct functions, which can be categorized as the following:

• Economic functions: The family has certain economic functions to perform. It takes care of the primary needs such as food, shelter and clothing of the individuals. Distinct division of laborcan also be seen among the family members. In most human societies, the men undertake outside the domestic sphere while women tend to perform routine works such as caring the child, domestic chores, etc.
• Biological functions: Procreation of children is the primary biological function of a family. Family serves as a biological unit by providing a common dwelling place for a man and a woman where the biological needs are satisfied.
• Psychological functions: Family provides security to its members. It protects and cares aged and sick persons in the family. It gives emotional support to the individuals. Junior members get their elders as guides or advisors in the major events of their life.
• Educational functions: It is the family which takes care of the child. The period of upbringing varies from society to society. A child begins to learn the customs and traditions of the society gradually from childhood. In the family, the parents and other elders teach the child all the norms and values of their society. So, family plays an important role in socializing and educating the child. The educative function of family is vital in the modern times as many of the anti-social activities are increasing generally.

Family as a Household

: Household works are divided on the basis of division of labor based on age, gender and position of a person in family and even personal competence. For instance, if mother is preparing a feast for the family her children would help her in preparation or bring grocery items ingredients required for the feast from market, husband provides money to buy things, in this way all members give their contribution.

Characteristic feature of household:

• Characteristic feature of household is that it has a common residence. Household refers to social groups that can be based on kinship ties, non-kinship ties. Members of a household are not necessarily related by blood, it could be classmate, friendship, no relationship ties.
• Majority of household have been small in size. Most definitions of family overlap with household and domestic group. Household is actual domestic arrangement found on the ground and are highly adaptive, flexible, and responsive to change.
• Members live together, share common residence. Members of household cook food from same kitchen and eat from common kitchen/hearth together under the same dwelling.
• Members of household reside together, share same kitchen and may/ may not be related to each other by blood or marriage or adoption. Classmates who stay away from family and share a rented apartment may form a household. Members of household could be related to each other by friendship, partners, classmates and coinhabiting or may be live-in couples.

Recent changes and trends in family and household:

• Concepts of family, household and domestic group can never be studied in a static a fixed state. Society is changing, concepts are changing therefore it is important study any social institution in dynamics and in its relation with other social institutions.
• It is estimated that in today’s world at least 16% of all children live in single-parent family. In the present world, lesbian and gay couples are emerging which do not fit into definitions of family. It’s a challenge for family that one member has sexual orientation different from majority. Sexual orientation is an individual’s belief, attractions and behaviors toward members of the opposite and same sex.
• Nowadays, the issues of equal civil rights, gay couples legally adopting children are emerging. More divorced cases are happening in the present-day around the world. Family relationships are dwindling and do not last long. People have started opting for short-term relationship.
• All the changes in psychological, biological and socio-cultural thoughts are giving rise to the dynamics. There are many factors like job, marriage, migration, which creates frictions, tensions among members of domestic group, and which often complete the members to lose their control over their child which may lead to dispersion/separation.
• The Modern-day family challenges- With time, definition of family have been altered/modified because of advancement and changes in relationships. With globalization and urbanization, family is getting affected and is faced with the following challenges like- Communication problem, Grief and loss, Divorce, Frequent fights, Arguments, Financial problem, Live-in relationships, Co-inhabitation, Separations, Gay couple adopting children, Single-parent families, Illegitimate child and mother, late marriages, and old-age people left alone.

Conclusion: There is no substitute for family. It is a unique social institution and has social associations. No society or civilization exists without family. Society is an abstract which reflects the foundation of family. Both, Biological and socio-cultural factors have led to the formation of this universal group.

 It is difficult to distinguish between household, family and domestic groups, because all three performs the functions as economic unit, consumption unit, psychological unit and socio-cultural unit. But it is necessary to define, as well as redefine the notion of family, domestic group and households. All these three are the core of the society which interacts with other groups and always studied along with kinship, marriage, economy, polity, religion and education.

Question #2. Explain how feminist movement has changed understanding of family structure. 15 marks (250 words)

Approach

1. Introduce the feminism with Thinker definition
2. Case studies- Feminism associated with Marriage and Family Structure
3. Feminist Understanding of Family in India
4. Conclude with an explanation marriage is an unequal exploitative institution

Hints:

 Introduction:

The feminist movement has effected change in Western society, including women’s suffrage, greater access to education, more equitable pay with men, the right to initiate divorce proceedings, the right of women to make individual decisions regarding pregnancy (including access to contraceptives and abortion); and the right to own property.

Various feminist researchers across the world brought forth those women who take on the lion’s share of domestic and caring giving work which is not recognized as productive labor with any market value. Women are socialized into acceptance of feminine domestic roles in marriage which makes them good and respectable wives. (Friedan, 1963).

Case Studies: Feminism associated with Marriage and Family Structure:

• At the same time when they go for work outside home, they are paid much less than men. There is continuity between women’s subordination within the private sphere of marriage and family and the public sphere of wage work.
• When women go out to work in similar positions as men, they are still burdened with house work performing second shift, one shift at office and another taking care of home and family by doing housework.
• Based on the Studies feminists argue that they advocating of gender division of labor in marriage harms the position of women as a whole, merely by constraining their options and ambitions. Confining them to domestic sphere and placing on them the exclusive burden of housework, gender division of labor limits women’s choices and life chances.
• They become economically, socially and politically dependent on men hampering their selfconfidence, forcing them to tolerate discrimination and violence. Thus, gender division of labor directly and indirectly coerce women to accept subordination in marriage.
• Amongst the different strands of feminism, Marxists feminists argue that monogamous marriage is a social institution that has nothing to do with love and everything to do with private property. Thus, marriage benefits the capitalist class and women’s subordination within marriage can be overcome only by overthrowing. It is the exploitative system of private property.
• For radical feminists, marriage is a tool of patriarchy which through its heterosexual norms keeps women subordinated. Patriarchy is the first form of social exploitation. In this system of patriarchy, men as a group hold power over women. Power lies with men (Abbott et al. 2005).

Feminist Understanding of Family in India:

 Feminism in India assumed the experiences of Hindu upper caste, middle class, urban women to be the experiences of all women.

• Guru (1995): Dalit Bahujan feminists argued that the difference is essential for understanding the Dalit women’s subjugation.
• Queer critique questioned Indian feminist negligence of the role sexuality played in determining family form, and the unequal distribution of power within. They argued against feminist nonquestioning of heteronormativity.
• According to queer critiques, feminist questioned gender roles, subordination of women, violence against women, unequal rights to property and decision making and others within family.
• Rinchin (2005) writes ‘within the family’ violence is seen as a serious concern but never as a threat to the validity, relevance and existence of the institution itself.
• According to her, ‘members of the family are burdened with the duty of replicating the structure. Families are also not open for any and every one as the gates for entry are birth and marriage. The use of force and violence for submission and compliance is not unknown

Conclusion:

 An egalitarian harmonious institution but that which is fraught with contradictions. According to feminists, marriage is a hierarchical institution whereby women are given secondary status. Gender division of labor, capitalist economy, unpaid housework, unequal wage system in paid work, heterosexual norms, control over women’s sexuality, eulogizing of masculinity and femininity, violence, unequal property, and other rights, along with discriminatory laws make marriage an unequal exploitative institution.