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1 Tackling Global Issues, One Family at a Time The University of Arizona Global Campus GEN499: General Education Capstone Dr. Janet Schriver 4/03/2023

Tackling Global Issues, One Family at a Time When discussing global societal issues, the unfortunate reality is that, in most cases, the issues are prioritized higher. Society moves to develop solutions at more significant levels when real solutions are effective at the individual level. These higher-level solutions are developed and examined with a lackluster implementation plan. The root causes are seldom identified nor receive as much priority as the problems. When viewing global societal issues like lack of education, poverty and income inequality, unemployment and the lack of employment opportunities, and the ability to become a global citizen, one root cause, at the individual level, could be the decline of the family structures that support child development, specifically the Nuclear Family. One hypothesis could be to determine the correlation, if any, between the decline of the nuclear family and the increase in those global societal issues mentioned earlier. How does a family structure or lack thereof affect an individual's chance to become a fully realized global citizen? Does being raised in a nuclear family structure have a statistical advantage over the family structural dynamics? While other family structures can result in kids who develop into extraordinary global citizens and acknowledging there is not a familiar structure that guarantees successful children, parents should strongly consider nuclear family structures for raising kids. The statistical majority of kids raised in nuclear family structures result in a higher probability of more significant opportunities in life. Two-parent households statistically have the financial stability to support their children's upbringing. Children of nuclear families are statistically more likely to succeed higher in education, communication skills, and health benefits. 2

Problem The Shifting "Norm" of Family Structures "There is no nation, no State without a family that has children, which in turn causes the renewal of generations, which means that the nation remains, and it can create a state." – Andrzej Duda, President of Poland. The structural model of the American family has undergone several evolutionary changes in the last century. As families continue to change, it is safe to say that America is no longer a nation of nuclear families (DePaulo, 2022) . While evolution continues to move society forward, one must consider and not underplay the importance of family and structures that support the development of children. Nuclear families, for the sake of this study, are families consisting of two parents and children. The contrast between the nuclear family is the single-parent family. Single-parent families, for this study, are families consisting of a single parent and children. While it is true that families come in all genders and types, there is statistical evidence that children of nuclear families experience benefits not seen at the same rates as single-parent families. Many factors contributed to the rise in single-parent families. However, without presenting a conspiracy theory, the common root was exploring personal choice. While propaganda, media, and lack of parental planning exacerbated the issue, it still comes down to personal choice. Addressing this topic against one specific, targeted demographic would be looking at America's African American communities. According to U.S. Census data, there are approximately 4.27 million Black families in the U.S. with single mothers (U.S. Census Bureau, 3

2023b). When viewing the correlation between these single-family structures and income and poverty levels, there is a proven correlation between these homes and America's lower poverty levels, lack of education, unemployment, and income inequality. It leads one to ask, do family structures play a statistical role in social outcomes? According to Pew Research, 47% of U.S. adults acknowledge that single women raising children on their own is generally a bad thing for society. While it is important not to conflate this percentage with a mother's inability to raise a child, there is a societal concern for children raised with a sole parent (Hurst, 2022). The concern is the growing number of single-parent homes and the effects on the children of those homes. Single-Parent Family Dynamic A single parent is a parent who lives with a child or children under the age of 18 with no husband, wife, or partner. Factors of single parents can be death, divorce, unmarried couples, absent parents, and personal choice. In early America, reasons for single-parent households were commonly the result of the death of a spouse; as the years have passed, divorce and personal choice are the primary factors of single-parent homes ( Single-Parent Families - Definition, Description, Common Problems , n.d.) . Determining what family dynamic works for adult individuals will vary depending on the adult. However, the effects of single-parent households on children offer a more significant correlation with a child's ability to overcome detrimental societal issues. No matter the choice, there are effects of the decision on both the parent and the child. Nuclear Family Dynamic " The modern nuclear family was a truly remarkable development in the history of human social organization, and probably the only example in history in which voluntary lifelong monogamy was widely practiced" (Popenoe, 1999). A nuclear family consists of a two-parents, 4

bound by marriage or partnership and parenthood, raising one or more children. Traditional nuclear families are married and raising children. The term "nuclear family" was reportedly first coined by Talcott Parsons. Parson was an American sociologist who studied and taught social functionalism and the theory of how the structure of families has shaped society as a whole (Wikipedia contributors, 2023). Parents of nuclear families showcase how to sustain cooperative relationships with their children and serve as role models for their kids in interacting with others. Nuclear families also have led in financial stability, education, and health (social, emotional, and physical health) (Rattay et al., 2018). Impacts on Children As previously stated, it is not intended to proclaim that any family dynamic guarantees successful children. Personal and anecdotal evidence proves that successful children could result from both household dynamics. However, the intent is to use quantifiable data to show that one family dynamic has a greater chance of rearing successful children, which could circumvent destructive global societal issues. What becomes evident when viewing the collected data and the published opinions is that the number of nuclear families in America is declining. The impact of this shifting change should be measured in its impact on society through its children. An alarming statistic in America is the growing number of children living in single- parent homes. A recent Pew Research Study of 130 countries and territories found that the U.S. led the world in single-parent households (Mitchell, 2020) . According to U.S. Census data, in 1968, 85 percent of U.S. children under the age of 18 lived in two-parent homes. By 2020 that number had declined to 70 percent. This 15 percent decline accounts for millions of children. The majority of single-parent homes in the U.S. are single-mother homes. According to 2022 5

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