The institution of marriage/family All you need is love? The institution of marriage/family

What do you consider to be a family? When considering a household What do you consider to be a family?

1) 2 men who live together, no children

2) 2 women who live together, no children

3) Unmarried man and woman , no children

4) 2 men with children

5) 2 women with children

6) Unmarried man and woman, with children

7) Woman with children

8) Man with children

9) Husband and wife with children

They are patterns, and yet they change The paradox of institutions… They are patterns, and yet they change

The ROM COM

Was invented.

Discussion Questions What are reasons people marry? What is “love”? “good” reasons? “bad” reasons? What is “love”?

Family (the institution) Oct 28: Guided Notes Family (the institution)

Evolution of the family The family is a key agent of socialization— family is the place where we acquire the social and cultural resources necessary for survival “Institutional family” “Companionship family”  “Postmodern family”

Institutional family Traditionally, the family was the economic, political, and social hub of society. Marriage was the primary means of making social connections. In other words, for thousands of years, the biggest reason people got married was to get in-laws. Marriage was calculated.

Companionship family The Industrial revolution 19th century Work moved from farms to factories Stats: In 1800—12% of Americans were employed by others In 1910—85% of Americans were employed by others Development of spheres “private sphere”: relationships are immediate, intimate, local “public sphere”: realm beyond the home. Economics and politics are distinct institutions separate from family.

Model of marriage that develops is knows as “companionship marriage” What people often refer to as “traditional” Focus on couple Marriage was no longer about exchanging resources (economic/social), but instead about a husband and wife providing each other with emotional support Tada! The invention of “love” as a prerequisite for marriage

Husband/wife roles Husband: Wife: “breadwinner” Active in public sphere Wife: Mother, wife, guardian of morality, homemaker Remains in private sphere

Myth of the companionship family model Became the dominant cultural story Held up as ideal, even if not realistic for working-class families Heavily promoted in media (ex: tv shows such as “Leave it to Beaver”) Alternatives seen as abnormal In a 1957 survey, 80% of respondents agreed that “anyone who preferred to remain single was ‘sick’, ‘neurotic’, or ‘immoral’”

Postmodern families An expansion of the companionship model Based on love / emotional fulfillment But increased freedom of form family will take Mix of opposite sex couples, same-sex couples, single parents, interracial families, cohabiting couples, families with children, families without children, singles and more And in increase in shared parenting The fundamental value is not togetherness, but autonomy, which gives family members greater choice and freedom in public sphere Idea of marriage still holds much symbolic significance Used to be considered foundation of adult life, now sometimes seen as capstone