Family and Sex Roles in the Past Introduction
Definitions: Family 1. Family: two or more people related by blood, marriage or adoption. 2. Household–1 or more people living in a housing unit. In the West: family = household, coresidential primary descent group
Issues 1. Marriage 2. Education of young 3. Care of dependents 4. Lineage, or devolution of property, values, name, memory 5. Management of sexuality 6. Welfare of individuals
Related institutions 1. Church 2. State 3. Peer groups 4. Voluntary organizations 5. Economic organizations - firms, corporations, etc.
Social Power, based upon Patriarchy 2. Age 3. Social class 4. Conquest
Definitions: Sex roles 1. The study of masculinity and femininity 2. Sexual practices 3. Gendering of the world –hence examine law, religious texts, everyday life for clues to gender messages embedded in discussions of other subjects. We start with 2 examples, ancient legal codes and creation stories.
Human History Timeline
Timeline See the Syllabus: –Prehistory to Antiquity –Ancient Greece and Rome and Emergence of Christianity –Medieval West –Early Modern World –Modern and Post Modern Society
Timeline
Periodization in Stearns: –Prehistory –Ancient Civilization –Post Classical Civilization –Early Modern to Contemporary Civilization
Timeline Prehistory
Timeline Ancient Civilization
Timeline Post Classical
Timeline Modern and Post Modern Era
Timeline
Summing Up: Themes 1. The creation of patriarchy 2. The varieties of family forms in different societies (selectively analyzed) 3. The material progress of human society: longer lives, more amenities, inventions that change family life –e.g., birth control. 4. The end of patriarchy? 5. Family and sex roles and history – of presidents, kings, war and empires