Marriage and Family as Social Institution Meaning of a Social Institution Not a person or a group, it is part of culture, a patterned segment of way of life of people. Social relations and social roles form the major elements of the institution. A configuration or combination of behavior patterns shared by a plurality and focused upon the satisfaction of some basic group needs.
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Love and Courtship in Global Perspective Social scientists thought that romantic love originated in western Europe during the Medieval period William William Jankowiak and Edward Edward Fischer Fischer analyzed analyzed 166 societies societies about romantic love. They found that people being sexually attracted to one another and idealizing the other showed up in 88% (147) of these groups. The The role role of love love diff differs ers sharp sharply ly from from one one soci societ ety y to another. Courtship -pre -prece cede des s enga engage geme ment nt and and marri marriag age e in a coup couple le’s ’s relationship -est -estab abli lish shme ment nt of an agre agreed ed rela relati tion onsh ship ip of a more more enduring kind -couple gets to know each other and decide if there will be an engagement or other such agreement -may be an informal and private, or may be a public affair or a formal arrangement -it is the role of the male to actively “court” or “woo” the female -the concept of gender roles in courtship has changed, or is changing in many societies -also takes place in the for ming of same-sex relationships -may take place with the couple going out together in public, may also involve private activities such as talking together for a long time, exchange of letters, gifts, flowers and songs Love plays a significant role in western life, often thought to be the only proper basis for marriage Romantic love -usually begins with sexual attraction -has two components: The first one is emotional, a feeling of sexual attraction, the second is cognitive, a label that we attach to our feelings (in love) Marriage -happens as a result of courtship and it continues through creating and moulding a family -very important institution -two -two princi principal pal motive motives s accordi according ng to R.H. R.H. Lowie: Lowie: “the universal object of founding and the constant need for cooperation in the daily routine of life”
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-social contract for physical, biological, psychological and spiritual needs -sexual relationship and procreation: are the primary aims of marriage Family -has existed in the past before the marriage system came -is the most fundamental, universal social institution -believed that originated out of biological necessity -binding force in a family is embedded in the biological instinct -men were protectors and food providers while women’s job was to give birth to children and to nurse them -In the course of time that became fortified with custom and the law until the social institution, “marriage” came into existence.
Types of Marriage 1. Polyandry -one woman, many husband -widespread in Tibet -may take two types: a. Fraternal: one wife is regarded as the wife of all brothers who have sexual relationship with her, children are treated as the offspring of the eldest brother. b. Non-fraternal: one woman has many husbands with whom she cohabits, in turn. Not necessary that these husbands are brothers. If a child is born then any one husband is chosen as its social parent by a spiritual ritual. -The causes: a. Lesser number of women b. Poverty c. Bride price d. Backwardness e. Population control 2. Polygyny -one man has two or more wives at a time -related to the institution of slavery, women captured in war are made his wives and concubines by the captor -based partly on the desire to lower sex impulses of the male and partly on the desire to leave man-descendants -The causes: a. Enforced Celibacy – Men do not approach women during the period of pregnancy. Due to this long period of enfo enforc rced ed cel celibacy bacy,, a seco second nd marr marriiage age was contracted. b. Earlier aging of the female c. Variety d. More children e. Social prestige
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f. Economic necessity 3. Monogamous -one man marries one woman at a time -leading form of marriage -produces highest type of affection and sincere devotion 4. Companionate Marriage -as long as there are no children, marriage may be dissolved 5. Experimental Marriage -A man and a woman may be allowed to marital life temporarily in order to find out if they can settle down permanently in matrimonial relations. Marriage Payments Dowry : bride brings gifts from her family into marriage, important part in both European and Hindu societies (Indo-European institution). Bride price: or bride wealth, common than dowry, particularly in Africa and among tribes in India. Groom’s kin is obliged to transfer resources to the bride’s kin. Bride price establishes the rights of the man over the woman and her children. If bride price is not paid, the marriage may be devoid.
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Again, family is the most fundamental, and universal social institution According to George Murdock, family is “ a social group characterized by common residence, economic cooperation and reproduction. It includes adults of both sexes, at least two, who maintain a socially approved sexual relationship, and one or more children, owned or adopted, of the sexually cohabitant adults.” Other sociologists and anthropologists define the family as a group of people who are united by ties of marriage, ancestry, or adoption, and who are reorganized by the community as constituting a single household and as having responsibility for rearing children. F (father) A (and) M (mother) I (implying the presence of children) L (love which must prevail) and Y (you).
Characteristics of Family A mating relationship. A form of marriage. A system of nomenclature. An economic provision. A common habitation. Universal and is a significant element in man’s social life. The basic autonomous unit in any given society. Family contact and relationships are repetitive and continuous. Family’s influence on personality and character is significant and pervasive. The family affects the individual’s social values, dispositions, and outlook in life. Has the unique position of serving as a link between individual and the larger society. Also unique in providing continuity of social life. • • • • • • •
Mate Marriage brings a number of obligations and privileges. Before marriage was solemnized, the first and most important task is the choice of mates. • •
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Ways of Acquiring Mates In the book “Primitive Society”, the term “means of acquiring a mate” was first used, also in the book, “An Introduction to Social Anthropology”. There are nine ways of acquiring a mate: 1. By probation 2. By capture 3. By trial 4. By purchase 5. By elopement 6. By exchange 7. By intrusion 8. By service 9. By negotiation •
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Concept of Family Institutional complex of system institutions Nuclear or individual family-most basic social group Came from the Roman word, “famulus”, meaning servant One of the most changeable institutions of society Origin of family: the intimate needs of human nature which only can be through the family • • • •
Functions of the Family 1. Sexual regulation. 2. Biological reproduction. 3. Organizing production and consumption. 4. Socializing children. 5. Providing emotional intimacy and support. 6. Providing care and attention. 7. Providing social status. 8. Providing mechanism for social control. 9. The family also serves as the individual’s first and foremost school where every child learns the basic lessons in life. 10. Providing maintenance and order. 11. Providing placement of members in the larger society. 12. Maintaining motivation and morale.
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Classification of the Family 1. According to organization, structure, and membership
Meaning of Family
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a. Nuclear family (primary or elementary family): composed of father (husband) and mother (wife) and their children (1) Family of orientation: is that into which one is born, and where one is reared and socialized. (2) Family of procreation: is that established by the person through marriage. b. The extended family: two or more nuclear families (1) The conjugal family: spouses and children are the prime importance (2) The consanguineal family: blood relatives as more important than the spouses. 2. According to place of residence a. Patrilocal family: the wife comes to reside in husband’s house after marriage. b. Matrilocal family: The husband comes to reside in wife’s house after marriage. c. Bilocal family: provides the newly married couple the freedom to select where to reside, near the groom’s or bride’s parents d. Neolocal family: permits the newlywed couple to reside independently of their parents e. Avunlocal family: the newly married couple goes to live with the wife’s uncle. f. Matri-Patrilocal family: the husband comes to reside in wife’s house at first, the after some time, usually after the birth of the first child, the husband returns back to his own paternal home with his wife. 3. According to descent a. Patrilineal descent: affiliates a person with a group of kinsmen related to him through his father. b. Matrilineal descent: affiliates a person with a group of kinsmen related to him through the mother. c. Bilateral family: is a system of family lineage in which the relatives on the mother's side and father's side are equally important. 4. According to authority a. Patriarchal family: the oldest male member is the family head and title is traced through the male line b. Matriarchal family: the elder of the mother’s kin is the family head and title is traced through the female line c. Equilitarian family: is one where the husband and wife exercise a more or less equal amount of authority d. Matricentric family: absence of the father who may be working, gives the mother a dominant position 5. According to terms of marriage a. Monogamy: permits the man to have only one spouse at any time b. Polygamy: plural marriage (1) Polygyny: one man to two or more woman at a time (2) Polyandry: one woman to two or more men at the same time (3) Group marriage: several men and several women at a time
c. Composite family: woman possess one permanent husband and many temporary husbands Intermarriage The marriage between two people of different backgrounds. It can either be religious or racial. It is a form of exogamy (marrying outside of one’s group). •
Divorce It is the legal process of dissolving a marriage that allows former spouses to remarry if they choose. Causes of divorce 1. Macro level- social institutions such as religion and law 2. Micro level a. Marriage at an early age b. Short acquaintanceship before marriage c. Disapproval of marriage by others d. Limited economic resources e. Differences in educational attainment f. Unhappy marriages g. Presence of marriage at the beginning of marriage •
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Annulment Or nullity refers to a process of invalidating what was previously valid. Grounds for nullity 1. Minority 2. Lack of authority of solemnizing officer 3. Absence of a marriage license 4. Bigamous/ polygamous marriage 5. Mistaken identity 6. Incestuous marriage 7. Psychological incapacity •
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Family and Marriage Quotes “Success in marriage does not come merely through finding the right mate, but through being the right mate.” ~ Barnett R. Brickner “No matter what you've done for yourself or for humanity, if you can't look back on having given love and attention to your own family, what have you really accomplished?” ~ Elbert Hubbard “There is no doubt that it is around the family and the home that all the greatest virtues, the most dominating virtues of human society, are created, strengthened and maintained.” ~ Winston Churchill
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“To put the world right in order, we must first put the nation in order; to put the nation in order, we must first put the family in order; to put the family in order, we must first cultivate our personal life; we must first set our hearts right.” ~ Confucius “Our most basic instinct is not for survival but for family. Most of us would give our own life for the survival of a family member, yet we lead our daily life too often as if we take our family for granted.” ~ Paul Pearshall
“The only rock I know that stays steady, the only institution I know that works is the family.” ~ Lee Iacocca “Other things may change us, but we start and end with the family.” ~ Anthony Brandt
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