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Family and its Functions

Presented by Md. Mahbubur RahmanLecturer, Centre for GED

Northern University BangladeshE-mail: jillurmahbub@gmail.com

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Family: Some basic speech Family is an universal institution that

ensure to share all the moments both of happiness and sorrows, progress , development and it gives assurance of all the development of human beings sound body, mind and soul. Family also helps each and every human beings to reduce their disappointments, distress and unhappiness.

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Family: Some basic concepts

Most of the civilized people want to make and stay in family. But in present, modern industrialized world, people of some countries are practicing to break down the concept of family. Both male and female are living together not making marriage. Specially in so-called advanced western (European and North America) countries, people are likely to make free relationship. These kind of relationships are breaking the norms , values, ethics , morality of human being.

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Family:Basic Concept Among these kind of people, mentionable,

celebrators ( specially included in Hollywood, Bollywood, football, cricket, and the wealthy persons) are usually making this kind of illegal, unfair and unhealthy relations. Simultaneously the form/nature/principle of making family all over the world are not same. For an example, some societies allow to have more than one husbands or wives at a time. Conversely some are not.

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Definitions of Family The word family has been derived from

the Latin word “Famulous” which means servant. In roman law the word denotes a group of producers and slaves and other servants as well as members connected by common descent or marriage .

According to M.F. Nimkof – “Family is a more or less durable association of husband and wife with or without children” .

MacIver – “Family is a group defined by sex relationship sufficiently precise and enduring to provide for the procreation and upbringing of children”.

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But the definition of family can never be universally accepted. Because the formation of family can never be depended on the concept that the relationship between the male and the female one .

The different examples that specially happened in the western Europe. Mentionable, in Denmark and Netherlands, thing are different to form the relationship between marriage. Same sex relation or homogeneous relation refers the relation between the male person and the another male , the other form like the affiliation between the females. They are adopting many children as they needed. In Asia region , mentionable the bollywood actors and actress are adopting children and maintaining their family life without having masrriage.

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Definition of Family

Defining Family:

A family may be defined specifically as a group of people affiliated by consanguinity, affinity, and co-residence.

Although the concept of consanguinity originally referred to relations by blood. The word consanguinity means consanguneal relations(hereditary relation) and affinity means affinal relations based on marriage relations.

Family denotes a domestic group of people, or a number of domestic groups linked through descent (demonstrated or stipulated) from a common ancestor, marriage or adoption.

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About Family

Defining Family:

Many people think of the family in very narrow terms as a married couple and their unmarried children living together.

A family also consider as- in which relatives such as grandparents, aunts, or uncles live in the same home.

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About Family

Types of Family:Sociologists or anthropologists described family as many

types in many ways. such as-1. From the size of family: Sociologists and anthropologists denotes two types of

family from the view of its size.a) Nuclear family- the term ‘nuclear family’ is well chosen,

since this type of serves as the nucleus, or core, upon which larger family groups are built.

A married couple and their unmarried children living together. The number of single parent household increased nowadays.( industrialized nations, western countries)

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About Family

Types of Family:b) Extended family/ joint family- A family in which

relatives such as grandparents, aunts, or uncles live in the same home as parents and their children is known as an extended family.

Advantage and disadvantage of two types family:The structure of the extended family offers certain

advantage over that of nuclear family. Crises such as death, divorce, and illness out less strain on family members, since there are more people who can provide assistance and emotional support.

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In extended family ,it is possible to take perfect decision ,to make strong affiliation , very much co-operative ,financial support, provides a lot of social security .

Problems like – lengthy process to take decision ,damage individual initiative and enterprise.

In nuclear family –it is possible to take decision quickly , children get more opportunity , more freedom, stable satisfaction between all members.

But problems are like lonely feelings and probably comes to wrong decision.

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About Family

Types of Family:In addition, the extended family constitute a

large economic unit than the nuclear family to share and help each and other. If the family is engaged in a common enterprise- a big farm or a small business – the extend family members may represent or can help from their own position and can share together with the difference between prosperity, development ,and also the failure.

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About Family

Types of Family:2. From the view of Marriage:Family types considered from the view of Marriage as

two types-a) Monogamy family: The term ‘monogamy’ describes

a form of marriage in which one woman and one man are married only to each other.

some observers describe it as a ‘serial monogamy’, under serial monogamy a person may have several spouses in his or her life but only one spouse at a time.

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About Family

Types of Family:b) Polygamy: Some culture allow an individual to

have several husbands or wives simultaneously. This form of marriage is known as Polygamy.

There are Two basic types of Polygamy-

i) Polygyny: Polygyny refers to the marriage of a man to more than one woman at the same time. The various wives are often sisters, who are expected to hold similar values and have already had experience sharing a household.

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About Family

Types of Familyii) Polyandry: the other principal variation of

polygamy is Polyandry, under which a woman can have more than one husband at the same time.

This is the case in the culture of the Todas of Southern India. These form of family can also be shown specially in African region.

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About Family

Types of Family3. From Kinship / Relatives Patterns:a) Bilateral descent: Bilateral descent which means that

both sides of a person’s family are regarded as equally important.

No higher value is given to the brothers of one’s father as opposed to the brothers of one’s mother. In rural areas of Bangladesh , this form of relationship are the common cases.

b) Patrilineal Descent:It indicates that only the father’s relatives are important in terms of property, inheritance, and emotional ties. In recent , the rural areas are giving the priority of this relationship.

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About FamilyTypes of Family

c) Matrilineal Descent: Conversely, in societies that favor Matrilineal Descent, only the mother’s relatives are significant.

4. From the Authority Patterns: a) Patriarchy: If a society expects males to dominate in all

family decision making, it is termed a Patriarchy. Specially the third world countries people give the priority of this kind.

b) Matriarchy: in a ‘Matriarchy’ women have greater authority than men, specially in case of decision making and also distribute the property on the basis of matrilineal descent. This kind of exampleare not available in this present world.

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About Family

Functions of Family:There are six permanent functions performed by the

family ( according to W.F. Ogburn)

1. Reproduction

2. Protection

3. Socialization

4. Regulation of Sexual Behavior

5. Affection and Companionship

6. Providing of Social Status.

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Functions of Family Reproduction : Family is the only

legalized way or path to give birth or reproduce children. To mentionable, the societies which follow the norms, values, ethics, or code of conduct very strictly. Specially the Asian societies try to follow this legalize way of reproduction. But different things are happening in the industrialized , first world countries.

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Functions

Protection: Only the family members protects every and each affiliated persons by willingly or unselfishly. But things are different like developed countries , that cases the various kinds of state oriented organizations protect its citizens by hook or by crook.

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Socialization: Family is the first and foremost places to

build up the process of socialization. Members of any society initially learn the basic form of behavior from their society. Code of conduct of any society like which things society expect and which are neglected, these are all achieved by the family. And the forms like to maintain the regulation the sexual behavior also maintained by family. . But things are different in the so called developed countries.

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Specially the developed countries , people who have available money think-

Differently, like they maintain their physical demand not making any kind of formal relations. They never think anything permanently. Hence problems are arising like claiming the fatherhood of any children.

The form of companionship always perfectly delivered by the family. But in the way of companionship are shifted to many kinds of instrumental things . Such as computer, face book, games and others entertaining segments.

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Functions of social status: Still all over the world, status of the

family are being ascribed upon the children. In case of Bangladesh, the status of parental are ascribing on children. Like Sheikh family (sheikh Mujobar Rahman) are continuing to bear the status of ruling party of Bangladesh. And the Zia family also contributing the status upon the major opponent party B.N.P.

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Functions:

And also in 1st world country like U.S.A Clinton status are continuing upon Democratic party. Others are Gandhi family in India , Bhutto family in Pakistan etc are the lively example of this kind.Conclusion: According to your opinion.