L/O Defining the family group

STARTER: FAMILY BINGO

Task Write down a definition of the family, kinship, marriage and household on the post-it-note provided and stick in the box below on the whiteboard. Be prepared to explain your answer.

Defining “kinship" "Kinship" is a related concept that means connections between people (either through marriage or lines of descent) that are "blood relationships".

Defining “marriage" "...a socially acknowledged and approved sexual union between two adult individuals...the marriage bond also...connects together a wider range of kinspeople. Parents, brothers, sisters and other blood relatives become relatives of the partner through marriage.".

Defining “household" A "household" is a group of people who have a common residence. There is not necessarily any family or kinship relationship between them.

Defining the "Family" A "family" consists of people who are socially- related to one another. An example of such a social relationship might be marriage or cohabitation (people who live together as "husband and wife" without being legally / formally married).

FAMILY TREE Try to construct a basic "family tree" for your family. - Begin with your grandparents and include as many uncles, aunts and cousins as you can. - For each person / people label them as either "family" or "kin" to yourself.

Is defining the family so clear cut?

George Murdock a functionalist sociologist, came up with the definition below of the family in 1949. He based this on a sample of 250 societies ranging from hunting and gathering bands, to small scale farming societies to large-scale industrial societies. Although he found evidence of a variety of family forms within this sample, Murdock claimed that each contained a basic nucleus consisting of a husband and wife and one or more children. He claimed the nuclear family to be ‘universal’. YES ‘The family is a social group characterised by common residence, economic cooperation and reproduction. It includes adults of both sexes, at least two of whom maintain a socially approved sexual relationship, and one or more children, own or adopted, of the sexually cohabiting adults.’ What does Murdock suggest the definition of a family is and the features of it? Does this idea still fit society’s view of the family today? Why? Questions

TASK 1 Answer the questions on the sheet

How do the Ik view the family? Is this the same as British families? Or perhaps not… The family does not feature heavily in the culture of the Ik of Northern Uganda. I fact as far as the Ik are concerned, the family means very little. This is because the Ik face a daily struggle to survive in the face of drought, famine and starvation. Anyone who cannot take care of him – or herself is regarded as a useless burden by the Ik and a hazard to the survival of the others. Families mean dependants such as children who need to be fed and protected. So close to the verge of starvation, family, sentiment and love are regarded as luxuries that can mean death. Children are regarded as useless appendages, like old people, because they use up precious resources. So the old are abandoned to die. Sick and disabled children too are abandoned. The Ik attitude is that as long as you keep the breeding group alive, you can always get more children. Ik mothers throw their children out of the village compound when they are 3 years old, to fend for themselves. I imagine children must be rather relieved to be thrown out, for in the process of being cared for he or she is grudgingly carried about in a hide sling wherever the mother goes. Whenever the mother is in the field, she loosens the sling and lets the baby to the ground none too slowly, and laughs if it is hurt. Then she goes about her business, leaving the child there, almost hoping that some predator will come along and carry it off. This sometimes happens. Such behaviour does not endear children to their parents or parents to their children. How do the Ik view the family? Is this the same as British families?

TASK 2 Answer the questions on the sheet

(Also known as the ‘cereal packet’ family) Types of Family The Nuclear Family (Also known as the ‘cereal packet’ family) The nuclear family is one which consists of a mother, father and their child/children. Therefore the nuclear family refers to two generations of family members living together.

Types of Family The Extended Family An extended family is one which contains relative beyond the nuclear family for example grandparents who live together in the same household.

Types of Family The Reconstituted Family A reconstituted family is one which is often referred to as a ‘step family’. This type of family still consists of parents and children although one of the parents may be a social parent, meaning they are not the child's biological parent.

Types of Family The Lone-Parent Family A lone-parent family is one which consists of children and just one parent. Why may lone-parent families form?

Types of Family The Lone-Parent Family A lone-parent family is one which consists of children and just one parent. Why may lone-parent families form?

TASK 3 Fill in the gaps

PLENARY Write a paragraph summarising the problem of defining family.