Sociology- Term 3:
pp. 257-268 (Sociology textbook)
Families and households:
WHY FAMILIES AND HOUSEHOLDS ARE IMPORTANT
INSTITUTIONS OF SOCIETY?
Family is considered central to the health of social life and remains the most
enduring institutions of all times.
Challenges when defining the concepts ‘family’ and ‘households’:
sociologists have emotional bonds and associations with regards to
family that keep them from being objective.
Intersectionality: the concept of family is dynamic, and changing over time
and across contexts, they intersect with other concepts like race or class,
while an understanding through viewing families and households through
intergenerational relations, provide insights of how this institution become
meaningful for the individual for the duration of the life course.
Sociological explanations are ideological when narrowly applied or
interpreted, which could create an impression of “ideal” family types,
which could then be misused by dominant groups.
Understanding difficult challenges that families face requires an
objective and diverse understanding of the causes as a logical step to
eventually identify solutions.
To be objective and morally challenged at the same time is common within
social science.
What is a household?
- A group of people living in a dwelling, sharing meals and other
,resources. Household members pool their resources together and
decisions need to be made around how the income will be used to
provide for the needs of each of its members.
- Household members may be family members, but they may not be
related to one another in any way.
Households subdivided in two main forms:
- Family households:, a husband, a wife, dependent children and a
grandparent living together.
- Non-family households: for example, university residents sharing a house.
- Single person households refer to a person living alone.
What are the Complications in terms of the definition of a
household?
- family members outside of the household might contribute to the income or
expenditure of the household.
- Stretched households: joint financial commitment to a particular household
even though the individual family members are not able to eat together and
sleep in the same dwelling on a regular basis. This is especially prevalent in
South Africa where labour migrancy is still common.
Should we define family? ( according to Rabe)
It is difficult to conceptualise one definition of ‘family’. Thus, certain family
researchers prefer not to define families and only work with the definitions
provided by research participants. Eg. qualitative studies where specificity is
required.
common understanding of families are still sought by policy makers,
financial institutions and maintenance courts to determine the responsibility
,of individuals
A clear definition informs decisions on who is responsible for vulnerable
people (young children, the frail and elderly, mentally challenged) who need
special care.
It becomes the states responsibility to care for a vulnerable individual if a
family is not available.
What is a family?
Family members have enduring intimate relationships that include certain
responsibilities (e.g., care) and rights (e.g., financial entitlement) towards
one another.
family is the parent-child bond and/or the bond between adult members who
can be described as a couple and usually have sexual relations with one
another.
Types of families:
Nuclear family:
Two adult members living with their dependent biological or adopted
children in one household. (This refers to heterosexual and
homosexual couples.
Extended family:
At least three generations of a family live together in one household
(could include polygamous marriages, where more than two marriage
partners share a household.)
Modified extended family:
The family members live in different households, but they exchange
, services and goods on a regular basis (e.g., grandparents babysitting
their grandchildren.)
Assisted families:
These include live-in domestic workers, nurses or nannies responsible
for childcare or frail care. (This is more prominent among the rich)
Survival kinship networks:
In these networks parents send their dependent children to other
family members. (This is more prominent among the poor who might
have to send their child(ren) to relatives because they might get better
nutrition and/or schooling.)
Surrogate family:
Refers to unrelated individuals providing support, sometimes this is
illustrated by runaways who end up forming gangs.
A single parent family:
Refers to a single parent who lives with dependent children in a
household (these parents might be male or female, however females
are more prominent). These single parents often have no outside help,
and they raise their children alone.
Child-headed household:
In these households, parents have either passed away (often AIDS
related deaths) or they are unable to look after their children. Often
the oldest sibling will take control of the household with varying
support from their kin or community members. Reconstituted or joint
family: Such a family is created when divorced, widowed or never
married parents marry or cohabit. This newly formed couple might
pp. 257-268 (Sociology textbook)
Families and households:
WHY FAMILIES AND HOUSEHOLDS ARE IMPORTANT
INSTITUTIONS OF SOCIETY?
Family is considered central to the health of social life and remains the most
enduring institutions of all times.
Challenges when defining the concepts ‘family’ and ‘households’:
sociologists have emotional bonds and associations with regards to
family that keep them from being objective.
Intersectionality: the concept of family is dynamic, and changing over time
and across contexts, they intersect with other concepts like race or class,
while an understanding through viewing families and households through
intergenerational relations, provide insights of how this institution become
meaningful for the individual for the duration of the life course.
Sociological explanations are ideological when narrowly applied or
interpreted, which could create an impression of “ideal” family types,
which could then be misused by dominant groups.
Understanding difficult challenges that families face requires an
objective and diverse understanding of the causes as a logical step to
eventually identify solutions.
To be objective and morally challenged at the same time is common within
social science.
What is a household?
- A group of people living in a dwelling, sharing meals and other
,resources. Household members pool their resources together and
decisions need to be made around how the income will be used to
provide for the needs of each of its members.
- Household members may be family members, but they may not be
related to one another in any way.
Households subdivided in two main forms:
- Family households:, a husband, a wife, dependent children and a
grandparent living together.
- Non-family households: for example, university residents sharing a house.
- Single person households refer to a person living alone.
What are the Complications in terms of the definition of a
household?
- family members outside of the household might contribute to the income or
expenditure of the household.
- Stretched households: joint financial commitment to a particular household
even though the individual family members are not able to eat together and
sleep in the same dwelling on a regular basis. This is especially prevalent in
South Africa where labour migrancy is still common.
Should we define family? ( according to Rabe)
It is difficult to conceptualise one definition of ‘family’. Thus, certain family
researchers prefer not to define families and only work with the definitions
provided by research participants. Eg. qualitative studies where specificity is
required.
common understanding of families are still sought by policy makers,
financial institutions and maintenance courts to determine the responsibility
,of individuals
A clear definition informs decisions on who is responsible for vulnerable
people (young children, the frail and elderly, mentally challenged) who need
special care.
It becomes the states responsibility to care for a vulnerable individual if a
family is not available.
What is a family?
Family members have enduring intimate relationships that include certain
responsibilities (e.g., care) and rights (e.g., financial entitlement) towards
one another.
family is the parent-child bond and/or the bond between adult members who
can be described as a couple and usually have sexual relations with one
another.
Types of families:
Nuclear family:
Two adult members living with their dependent biological or adopted
children in one household. (This refers to heterosexual and
homosexual couples.
Extended family:
At least three generations of a family live together in one household
(could include polygamous marriages, where more than two marriage
partners share a household.)
Modified extended family:
The family members live in different households, but they exchange
, services and goods on a regular basis (e.g., grandparents babysitting
their grandchildren.)
Assisted families:
These include live-in domestic workers, nurses or nannies responsible
for childcare or frail care. (This is more prominent among the rich)
Survival kinship networks:
In these networks parents send their dependent children to other
family members. (This is more prominent among the poor who might
have to send their child(ren) to relatives because they might get better
nutrition and/or schooling.)
Surrogate family:
Refers to unrelated individuals providing support, sometimes this is
illustrated by runaways who end up forming gangs.
A single parent family:
Refers to a single parent who lives with dependent children in a
household (these parents might be male or female, however females
are more prominent). These single parents often have no outside help,
and they raise their children alone.
Child-headed household:
In these households, parents have either passed away (often AIDS
related deaths) or they are unable to look after their children. Often
the oldest sibling will take control of the household with varying
support from their kin or community members. Reconstituted or joint
family: Such a family is created when divorced, widowed or never
married parents marry or cohabit. This newly formed couple might
