The Family in Contemporary Society - Essay Example

Download file to see previous pages... Murdock, thinking about the dominant pattern of the period, argued that the nuclear family was widespread and unavoidable, the foundation of more complex family arrangements. Due to the variety of family structures and the political discourses around them, an exclusive, inclusive description of family is not possible (Settles 1999, 56). Families are described in numerous ways in terms of situations, functions, and roles. Even though traditional scholars have put forth blood relations as an important feature of the family, others claim that the family should be defined in terms of the relationships and attachments that people have towards important individuals in their lives. According to Georgas (2006, 63), this definition changes the emphasis from the arrangement or legal standing of families to the characteristics and importance of relationships and attachment patterns.  Unique family arrangements question the prevailing definition and views of a family. Moreover, diverse family structures “challenge gender roles and influence gender typing by what they say and what they do” (Dowd 1999, 110). The definition of family should at this point transform to encompass various alternative family systems. Alternative family arrangements are becoming more and more widespread, such as cohabitation, same-sex-couple families, single-parent families, and so on, which are believed to offer acceptability to alternative family arrangements (p. 110).  The Importance of the Family...
Families are described in numerous ways in terms of situations, functions, and roles. Even though traditional scholars have put forth blood relations as an important feature of the family, others claim that the family should be defined in terms of the relationships and attachments that people have towards important individuals in their lives. According to Georgas (2006, 63), this definition changes the emphasis from the arrangement or legal standing of families to the characteristics and importance of relationships and attachment patterns. Unique family arrangements question the prevailing definition and views of a family. Moreover, diverse family structures “challenge gender roles and influence gender typing by what they say and what they do” (Dowd 1999, 110). The definition of family should at this point transform to encompass various alternative family systems. Alternative family arrangements are becoming more and more widespread, such as cohabitation, same-sex-couple families, single-parent families, and so on, which are believed to offer acceptability to alternative family arrangements (p. 110). The Importance of the Family The family represents a brilliant model of a primary group. Family relations are possibly the crucial element in personal attachment and value. It is crucial in its early impact on the person, in its plainness of structure, and in its significance as moulding character. Important and basic though it is, it can be considered as a small society where in a broad array of human interests and goals, and social mechanisms are situated. The family is exclusive in affording stability of social life. The effect of the family on ...Download file to see next pagesRead More