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Answer: The societies anthropologists traditionally have studied have stimulated a strong interest in families, along with larger systems of kinship and marriage. Ethnographers quickly recognize social divisions, or groups, within any society they study. They learn about significant groups by observing their activities and membership. The nuclear family (parents and children) is one kind of kin group that is widespread, but it is far from universal. Much of kinship is culturally constructed, that is, based on learning and variable from culture to culture. This poses an interesting problem for anthropologists: where does nature begin and culture start? What explains cultural variability? What explains cultural change? These questions continue to be relevant in today's societies, especially with the use of technology (e.g., artificial insemination and DNA testing). Answer: Nuclear family organization is widespread, but it is not universal. In certain societies, the nuclear family is rare or nonexistent, or has no special role in social life. In these societies, other social groups, such as descent groups and extended families, assume most or all of the functions otherwise associated with the nuclear family. Interestingly, mobility and an emphasis on small, economically self-sufficient family units promote the nuclear family as a basic kin group in both industrial and foraging societies. Although the nuclear family remains a cultural ideal for many Americans, other domestic arrangements now outnumber the "traditional" American household more than three to one. Much of kinship is culturally constructed, that is, based on learning and variable from culture to culture. Answer: Yes it can! The American family has changed a great deal in the last four or five decades, and this change is reflected on television. In the sitcoms of the 1950s and 1960s, the families were idealized middle-class and upper-middle-class examples of perfect nuclear families with an all-knowing dad. This began to change in the 1970s: think of the blended family of "The Brady Bunch." Now sitcoms and reality shows regularly feature co-resident friends, roommates, unmarried couples, single parents, unrelated retirees, nannies, housekeepers, and working mothers. In addition, the father (think of Homer Simpson of "The Simpsons") is almost never depicted as being as omniscient as his 1950s sitcom counterpart. Answer: This distinction is made because in certain societies a person's biological father (genitor) is not the person who performs the duties of a father. For example, in many matrilineal societies the mother's brother serves as the pater (the socially recognized father) because he belongs to the same descent group as the mother and the child. Since descent group affiliation is determined through the female line, the genitor is not considered kin to the child. An example from Western society involves children who have been adopted. Many adopted children grow up with a pater without ever knowing their genitor. Answer: Cross-culturally, people get married for a variety of reasons, only one of which is to have children. In addition to giving either or both spouses a monopoly in the sexuality of the other, and establishing the legal parents of children, marriage serves many roles not directly related to sex. Marriages also serve an important economic role, as spouses (and their kin) pool their labor, resources, and property. Plural marriages exist in part due to the economic advantages of having additional spouses. Since marriages create relationships between groups as well as individuals, they also play an important role in forming and maintaining social and political networks. For instance, bridewealth and dowry exchanges help cement ties between spouses' descent groups. Answer: Not necessarily. In polygynous societies, most men are monogamous and only a fraction of the marriages are polygynous. This is due partly to the fact that in most human societies the sex ratio is roughly equal, making it impossible for every man to have multiple wives. The context and function of polygyny vary from society to society and even within the same society. Some men are polygynous because they have inherited a widow from a brother, while others have multiple wives because they seek prestige or want to increase household productivity. |