Family is a broad term to define. In the pre-modern times, family was one of the most important unit of society which consisted of two adults of the opposite sex sharing economic resources, accommodation, reproduction (Mitchell, 2012, Pg.6). A family consisted of two parents, the husband was considered to be a “breadwinner” (Mitchell, 2012, Pg.6), while the wife was the homemaker who stayed home and took care of children. The Standard North American Family (SNAF) consists two adults of the opposite sex who are married and they share both traditional and gender roles (Mitchell, 2012, Pg.6). It is foundational for understanding families in Canada because for a lot of people, it is their identity. It represents who they are and who they belong to whether it is socially, economically, or culturally.
Canadian families have remained similar throughout our history because still in some families’ women is the homemaker and takes care of the husband and the children, while the husband is the only one who is employed and takes care of the family economically. Another form of continuity
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Couples who are new married now often live on their own, separate from their parents. However, due to cultural diversity, a lot of newly married couples are living with the husband’s side of the family as a joint family. Another example of diversity would be the patrilineal pattern found in families where “lineage is usually traced through the man’s family line.” (Mitchell, 2012, Pg.64). This practice can also be seen in Canada as people’s last names usually come from their father’s lineage. The types of marriage patterns is also another type of diversity that can be found in Canada. In a lot of Asian countries, people usually have an arranged marriage, where the parents of the adults decided whether both the adults are suitable for each other or not. This practice could be found in Canada due to the increase in
This article shows the many different ways in which the makeup of Family has changed in the 20th century as an Institution. It shows many ways in which Nellie McClung has fought for every definition of family to be accepted. The definition of family is a group of persons who form a household. This definition has changed greatly over time, it used to be more specifically anyone who was biologically related to you. This article goes over the main points of social change that have occurred in this primary social Institution. These changes include social customs concerning dating, divorce, family, marriage, women's rights. It also looks at people’s social life and customs that are now considered “normal”, as well as children and family. It also looks at the global impact that occurs from each of these points that have changed the way we view this primary institution and the way that we define family. The author concludes that during the 20th
In 19th century, European settlers in Canada viewed family as central to the colonial project. Family members, community, church and state officials aided getting married and having children because they saw it as key to social responsible and nation build. Also, they believed marriage and parenthood helped individuals mature socially. (Officer, 2015) Before European migrated the most family were based on Kin- based extended of families.
Stephanie Coontz in “The Way We Weren’t: The Myth and Reality of the Traditional Family” emphasizes that the traditional and ideal nuclear family widespread in media and textbooks are false and far from reality. In fact, it is common to see more similarities to the traditional family consistent of “male breadwinner and nurturing mother” (1) today than in the past.
For example, what percentage of Canadian marriage ceremonies currently are religious ceremonies versus civil ceremonies? As modernization within Canadian society occurs, young people are more inclined to move away from the cities where they grew up, leaving the older generations behind. They relocate to different cities, and different countries even, and meet people they probably never would have met had they remained home. People in modernized, urbanized societies meet partners on their own, rather than by being introduced by family members.
Barbara Ehrenreich uses the terms “ the ideal unit of human community” and “heaven in a heartless world” as definitions of family. Indeed, home is always the place raises people hope when they are at the bottom, boost up their strength to tackle down the rocks along their journeys, or are solely the arms to embrace them unconditionally. However, at a social level, family varies across countries and regions based on their cultures and the global current trends. To illustrate, Barbara Ehrenreich, Julia Baird, and Stephanie Coontz share their refreshing opinions on the contemporary family issues within the US as well as around the world. At a narrower scale, there are major differences between a traditional American family and a traditional
While Canada has been considered a multicultural society since 1971, the family structures don't seem to change. They all seem to have a majority of their families be the standard nuclear family for a family consisting of just a married couple. Despite the similarities in structure, the causes seem to differ between the cultures. While some families may consist of only a married couple due to choice, others (such as the "First Nations") are part of this structure due to the death of the child/children or the inability to reproduce.
The vast majority of individuals have acquired their own unique and ornate proposals surrounding what the social structure of a family is. Yet, whilst each individual in a given society has experienced family life in a multitude of ways, we as people cannot fathom how our experiences have come to be, without obtaining a broad understanding of how our personal relationships built within social structures integrate into a more prodigious social context. Present day Americans endure a society that is a composite of a multitude of family types (e.g. nuclear two-parent, extended, stepfamilies, multigenerational, family of orientation and procreation, the economic unit, cohabitors, single-parent, childless, same-sex, and so forth). Aside from singular
Families are a social institution they provide a set of rules that define a social unit of importance to society. This gives us positions like being a parent and child. Rules give us guidance on the expected norms. Families are important for the major functions of child rearing, caring for the elderly, and providing comfort and emotional support. Before the 1950s, American families were considered to a nuclear type of family. Nuclear families consist of a married heterosexual couple, living in the same household, with children. The women stay at home to take care of their children and the household. The men are breadwinners meaning the work outside the household to earn money for his family. Television shows would typically portray a middle-class
Society functions in a manner accepting of the differences within people; and the innumerable qualities all individuals put forward. It is the differences within individuals that make for betterment of society; and allow the Canadian nation to be open and accepting of diversity. This notion of diversity is not only one which can be directed towards the large spectrum of society yet, to the family structures which impact it wholesomely, while too, holding effect upon their personal life and relationships. “The word “family” is used in various ways in popular usage, referring in different contexts to our parents, siblings, spouse and children, as well as referring to all the relatives sharing a household and the larger group of relatives with whom we may or may not maintain some contact”, (Baker, Page 3, 2014). Speaking to the level of family structures and whom one considers “family”; it is an area which each individuals should be allowed to dictate in their own manner and hold sole control over. As a nation and/or state focus should be directed at improving the quality of life and equality amongst all sectors of families; in addition to promoting diversity; rather than focusing on the small social and financial issues that Social Service Programs are in place to provide assistance for.
The Canadian nation prides itself on being accepting of its diversity and multiculturalism. One specific area many are grateful for the diversity and openness within Canada, is marriage; the legal or formal recognition of two individuals as partners in a relationship. (Google, 2014). With the consistent flow of immigration, marriage between the majority populations of White European people has increased between the Minority populations, including, but not limited to African Americans, Asians, Hispanics and American Indians. This stated, society still holds many judgements and stereotypes about the formation of these relationships and interracial marriage. How societal views have changed over the past few decades, opinions of those
The Canadian family has been changing drastically over the 20th century. The definition of family has changed, along with the functions of families. Many modern families have veered from what we once considered the tradition family. This essay will discuss the different types of newly developed families, and some factors contributing to this change.
Depending on their cultural background, many families will often have different understandings or ideas of what a family is and how it should be structured.
The word family has changed so much in the past century. A family back in the 1950’s was probably considered a husband, wife, and one or more children. Times have changed and families have become much different. The Interpersonal Communication: Relating to Others book defines family as a, “Unit made up of any number of persons who live in relationship with one another over time in a common living space who are usually, but not always, united by marriage and kinship” (Beebe, Beebe & Redmond, 243). Families can be broken up into five different types. The first is the traditional family, which includes a mother, father, and their biological children. Next, is the blended family which includes
Family is one of the hardest words to define. There are many definitions and thoughts of what a family consists of. When one accepts the definition of the census family given by Statistics Canada then a family becomes “a married couple and the children, if any… a couple living common law and the children, if any… a lone parent with at least one child living in the same dwelling… grandchild living with grandparents but no parents present… Census families can be opposite or same sex and children may be adopted, by birth, or marriage and all members must be living in the same dwelling” (Baker 2014). With family being such a difficult term to agree on, the creation of a complex study of family life emerges. The factors that influence family life are put into three theory categories; Social Structure, Interpersonal Factors, as well as Ideas, Global Culture, and Public Discourse.
What do you think of when you hear the word family? Webster dictionary defines a family as a group of people who are related to each other, a group traditionally consisting of two parents rearing their children, a spouse and children. This definition is now challenged, as the years have gone on the way we think and picture a family has changed. It is no longer a married stay at home mom and bread earning dad with their little son and daughter. Now a family can be a single mom, a single dad, a same sex couple or a separated or divorced mother and father with their biological or adopted child or children. Over the years the percentage of single fathers has only been increasing. As the numbers have grew so have the attention this topic has