Culture and the Family

HPER F258Marriage and Family Interaction

Culture

A basic definition -- Culture is the total accumulation of an identifiable group's beliefs, norms, activities, institutions, and communication patterns.Values, attitudes, standards and beliefs are all embedded in culture

Small group: What is your cultural identity?

“I am a 58 year old, married, middle-class, university professor living in a small city in the midwestern US. I am also a third generation American of Slovak descent (much more American than Slovak, which is why I don't say Slovak-American), and was raised in a large, urban, blue-collar, Catholic family, by parents who were much older than my friends’ and were both children of immigrants. They not only lived through WW II, but also were adults during the Great Depression. I have been married (to the same man) almost twice as long as I was single, am a mom of two girls, and am Grandma (not “grandmother)” to my grandson.

In small group, discuss how each of the individual elements in your description of yourself is (1) a product of your culture and (2) how it might influence you. Note that your description probably will be radically different from the one above and probably will include elements that are not included above.

Ways to Think of Culture

Culture as racial/ethnic identity

Two views:family pathology model • In this model, family forms that are

valued by the dominant culture are perceived as being healthy while others are measured against this and, if different, are determined to be deficient.

family strengths• Each family form is viewed independently

of others, with the goal of identifying strengths in that family form

Culture as the “big picture”Painted with a broad brush—no subtle differencesThe way we are viewed by others

“I can tell you’re an American by how you walk”“Ugly Americans”The Chinese family

Also may be how we view ourselvesHow we present ourselves to others

Use of cultural iconography to identify ourselves to others, both in and out of our groupE.g., military uniform, religious “dog collar”

Culture as an environment

The broader context within which social interaction takes place

“the place where you live”Where you feel most comfortable

Guides/influences the way in which we act, feel and think

Culture as lens

The view through which we see the world in which we liveShapes the way in which we see/experience thingsBroaden your cultural view (shift the lens) and we see things differently

Coming to collegeTraveling

Personal/local culture

A way of viewing culture as a lensThe culture of your familyThe culture that comes out of your personal experiences

Includes the broadening experience you have here at IU.

There is an interplay between the broader culture and your local culture

Implications of culture for your experience of "family"

insider's view Family as seen from the insideExpectations about family based on your personal experience

us vs. them -- insider/outsiderMakes the business of “doing” family easier but also can act as blinders.Our cultural expectations can create a sense of difference from others that can be very limiting

Article facilitation –cultural expectations and cultural awareness

In your small group, discuss article #3, “Families and Family Study in International Perspective”Also, brainstorm questions for our panel for next class session

Katie will describe the nature of the panel and note that the reading may trigger some thoughts on things to ask about

Panel discussion

Guest panel

Final thoughts

What did you learn from today’s class?

Be sure to turn this in to your discussion leader.