Marriage & FamilyMarriage & Family

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Marriage & FamilyMarriage & Family

What is a family? What are the rights, privileges,

obligations?

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Marriage & FamilyMarriage & Family

What is a family? People who consider themselves related

by blood, marriage, or adoption NuclearNuclear or ExtendedExtended Family of orientation Family of procreation

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Marriage & FamilyMarriage & Family

Functions of the family Economic production Socialization of children Care of the sick and aged Recreation Reproduction

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Marriage & FamilyMarriage & Family

Marriage A group’s approved mating

arrangements Often marked by a public ritual

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Marriage & FamilyMarriage & Family

Establish societal patterns Mate selection

Endogamy Exogamy

Incest Taboo Helps families avoid role confusion Extends social networks Maintain strong gene pool

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Marriage & FamilyMarriage & Family

Establish societal patterns Mate selection

Endogamy Exogamy

Descent Bilateral, matrilineal, patrilineal

Inheritance How to pass property from one generation to

the next? Authority

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The Family Life CycleThe Family Life Cycle

Romantic love What does ‘love’ mean?

Marriage Social channels to marriage

Homogamy Arranged marriage

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Balancing Work and Family in Balancing Work and Family in the USthe US Institutional challenges for parents

Corporate culture that assumes workers have no competing responsibilities

The “glass ceiling” The “Mommy track”

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Balancing Work and Family in Balancing Work and Family in the USthe US Institutional challenges for parents

Corporate culture that assumes workers have no competing responsibilities

Public policies that do not support families Family leave policies: Some workers have

limited rights to unpaid leave, paid leave is offered in only 5 states for mothers, 1 state for fathers

No benefits for part-time workers No public child care

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The Family Life CycleThe Family Life Cycle

Childbirth & Child Rearing How are kids taken care of?

Daycare Nannies Stay-at-home parent Relative

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Balancing Work and Family in Balancing Work and Family in the USthe US The “Second Shift”

In households where both parents work, who does the housework?

Largely, it’s women

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The Family Life CycleThe Family Life Cycle

Empty Nest Last child leaves home

‘Adultolescents’ Adult children returning home to live with

parents

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Trends in US FamiliesTrends in US Families

Postponing marriage and childbirth Cohabitation Unmarried mothers Grandparents as parents The sandwich generation