Free Essay On Education – Family And Changing Times

The concept of family

With regard to the study of society, one aspect that is considered to be of key importance in the evolution of mankind is existence in groups. One of the many characteristic features that led to the development of a civilized society in the modern world is that of the nature of human beings to exist in the form of groups, which led to the modern day concept of the existence of families. A family can be described at its best as a group of human beings co-existing together due to blood relations or other relationships, headed by a patriarch . This concept of characteristic feature of a family has been subjected to changes in different countries and societies. In most cases, a family consists of a number of members belonging to different age groups and the head or the person in charge of the family in most cases is the one responsible for provision of basic and other needs to the members. In many countries, especially in Asia, existence of joint families is considered to be a common aspect. While in most western countries, a family is considered to be composed of much fewer members – often just the husband, wife and children and is commonly termed as a nuclear family .
However, especially in case of western countries, an alarming observation has been the decline of the family system and it raises issues and concerns among experts and researchers in the field of social studies. The aim of this academic presentation is to delve into this aspect a little further by highlighting and analyzing their respective points of view related to the subject matter.

Concerns about decline of family

Among the many experts studying about the aspect of family decline, one of the most common beliefs is that family decline is more of a myth than actual reality. However, family decline is regarded to be a reality, in contrast to the many views of other experts and others . Family decline is believed to be prominently exhibited by the diminishing size of families all over the world since the time social studies have been documented . Family is described as a small domestic group of kin. It ideally consists of children, adult members and one or more elderly members. This social structure of a family has been observed to be declining and this is a cause of concern . Over the years, it has been observed that the perceptions and values held by individual members of the family have changed, which is regarded by many to be the

Relevance of Cranes’ Network

A very significant example of the importance of family bonding and the impact of decline of family is highlighted in Hansen’s study. Revolving primarily among Patricia, Robert and their child Robbie, what is particularly significant is the fact that even though the Cranes are not able to sustain a true family culture, the involvement of other members of the society as caregivers to the special child Robbie help in serving the basic needs of a kin or family culture. This is of particular relevance because, as highlighted in the earlier section, a family is a group of individuals who are bond to each other through a special reason or relation . The relevance of the study is the fact that in this particular case, the meaning and implication of family was different from traditional perceptions. Instead of immediate family members or relatives of Robbie by blood, other people who were not related to the family genetically played the role of kin.

New concepts in family and their significance in ascertaining family decline

Institutional perceptions of family decline
The issue is not just that the family as a foundation has declined, additionally that a particular family form–the conventional family–has declined. Furthermore in that lies the premise for much ideological clash. Today, the individuals who trust in less male strength and more prominent correspondence for women–and that incorporates most scholastics and different educated people, share the perspectives of the ladies' development in supporting a libertarian family structure, with considerable monetary freedom for wives. From this point of view, the development far from the conventional family is viewed as advancement, not decline . Discussing family decrease under these ideological circumstances, in this way, is seen to be verifiably supporting a ruined family structure, one that mistreats ladies. In fact, the term decrease has been utilized most strongly by those moderates who have a tendency to view all late family change as negative, and who have issued a clarion require a come back to the nuclear family.

Cultural perceptions of family decline

In any case appropriately utilized, the term decline ought not to convey such ideological impositions. To finish up exactly that the family as an organization is declining ought to not naturally connect one to a specific philosophy of family structures or sex balance. The two features of decline–the debilitating of the conventional type of the family and the debilitating of the family as an institution–are disaggregated. It is conceivable truth be told, in any event hypothetically, for the family to have turned into a stronger foundation in its work day to a more populist structure. It needs to be highlighted that it is strongly felt, the term decline is critical in light of the fact that it gives a common nomenclature for a large number of the progressions that have occurred . These progressions, in the author’s perspective, obviously show that the family as a foundation has debilitated. A fundamental driver of this debilitating might be the movement of the family far from its customary atomic structure; that is something obliging further examination. The individuals who accept that the family has not declined, then again, should sensibly hold one of two positions–either that the family has reinforced or that its institutional power inside society has stayed unaltered .

Learning derived from study

Irrespective of the fact as to whether experts and authors are convinced of family decline, one needs to have a strong notion of the very need for families to exist. Traditionally, it was believed to be best to develop a strong foundation for the growth and development of future generations in a societal structure which made it possible to provide diverse learning and experience and also provision of basic needs and necessities. Over time, society in itself has changed and so has the outlook of people existing in these societies. If it is possible for people to ensure upbringing of future generations through performing specific tasks, without the presence of a large group of members, it cannot be said that family has declined. It is just that the shape or form has changed from one to another. One might be compelled to believe that absence of different members in the family is symbolic of decline. However, as a race human beings cannot overlook advancements and benefits which may accompany changes in the social structure.

References

Braithwaite, D. O., Bach, B. W., Baxter, L. A., DiVerniero, R., Hammonds, J.R., Hosek, A. M., Willer, E. K., & Wolf, B. M. (2010). Constructing family: A typology of voluntary kin. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 27, 388-407.
Coontz, S. (1992). The way we never were: American families and the nostalgia trap. New York, NY: BasicBooks.
Hansen, K. V. (2005). Not-so-nuclear families class, gender, and networks of care. New Brunswick, N.J.: Rutgers University Press.
Popenoe, D. (1993). American Family Decline, 1960-1990: A Review and Appraisal. Journal of Marriage and Family, 55(3), 527-542.