INTRO TO Family Life in 21st Century L 1.pptx

Lecture about family life in 21st century

1. Family Life in 21 st Century (W1, L1.1) Overview of Contemporary Family Structures Definition and evolution of family structures

2. Definitions of Family The term 'family' holds various meanings and perspectives. Families differ in terms of economic, cultural, social, and many other facets. Families can be defined in objective as well as subjective ways.

3. Objective definitions Objective definitions focus on blood and marital connections or on the sharing of resources and domiciles. In the objective definitions , the focus was on biological ties through kinship or marriage, legal connections, and persons living together in a consistent manner, while probably also supporting each other.

4. Subjective definitions Subjective definitions focus on a person’s feelings about someone being part of the family. The persons feel exceptionally close may become “families of choice.” The subjective aspects of family connections can be observed through interactions, communication, support, assistance, and availability among members .

5. Definitions (continued…) A Family is a group of people who are related to each other. In this sense family can refer to a group that consists of parents and their children or it can refer to a bigger group of related people including grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, etc. It is often used specifically of a group of related people who live together in one house. Today, the family may be viewed more broadly as a group of people with a history, a present reality, and a future expectation of interconnected mutually influencing relationships. Members often are bound together by inheritance, legal marital ties, adoption, or committed voluntary ties. f)

6. Family: In Islamic context The term 'family' refers to a unique structure where individuals are connected through blood or marriage relationships . This connection involves "mutual expectations" guided by religion, reinforced by the law, and internalized by everyone. Hence the family is based on the mutual expectations that arise from being part of such a structure. Membership can be either inherited through blood relations, gained through marriage, or a combination of both if the unit includes more than a married couple. (Abd al Ati,2014, The Family Structure in Islam,p19)

7. Origins and evolution of the Family: Several sociologists hold that in older times there was nothing known as a family. Men and women did not think of any institutional control being imposed upon their desire to mate, and mating behavior among human beings was not far different from that in animals. Incidentally, such behavior could have remained limited among a few individuals only, instead of becoming grossly permissive, but the participants in the sex relationship never intended to establish a permanent relation between them. The concept of family originates from specific human needs. Therefore, its origin cannot be attributed to any historical event or circumstance that might have dictated its existence at a particular stage in human history. Instead, it is rooted in a combination of human desires and conscious needs that are fulfilled within the family structure. The family did not suddenly come into existence at a specific point in time. Instead, it emerged gradually as soon as the aforementioned needs were felt by humanity. (https://medium.com/@lxopukhan/family-A-evolution-types-and-functions-fc27d06f2ff4)

8. Lewis Morgan’s Theory: According to Morgan, the modern monogamian family is the result of a long evolution. He said that with the change of time, there has been a fundamental change in the structure of sex life, marriage and family. According to Morgan, the family has passed through five stages: ( i ) Consanguine Family : In this stage of family, marriage between blood relations was not forbidden. (ii) punaluan Family : In this stage restrictions were imposed on incestuous marriage. But sex relationships among different persons were not definite. (iii) syndyasmian Family : In this stage one man married one woman but the sex relationships of the woman married into the family were not clearly defined and certain.

9. Morgan’s Theory (continued…) (iv) Patriarchal Family : In this stage man’s ascendancy was established. He could marry many women and have sexual relationships with them. (v) Monogamous Family : This is the present state of the family where one man marries one woman at one time. It is difficult to believe that there has been evolution of the family in the same sequence of stages in all societies. Historical facts do not support Morgan’s theory. Linton remarks. Societies have not followed a single consistent line of evolution, but a multitude of diverging lines. (https://medium.com/@lxopukhan/family-A-evolution-types-and-functions-fc27d06f2ff4)

10. Evolution of Family Structures Family structures have undergone through continuous transformation and evolution throughout human history depending upon different factors. Major factors that shaped the family structures are: 1: Families consisting on parents and off-springs. 2: Extended families because of Agricultural Revolution. 3: Industrial revolution resulted in the shift of families to the cities. 4: The women's liberation movement led to a rise in the number of women joining the workforce. 5: Technological advances improved family communications. 6: Blended families and diverse family structures in modern world expanded the definition of family. ( Family and society, Rdhika Kapur , https://www.researchgate.net/publication/323733863_Family_and_Society)

11. Origin of Family according to Islam First human family was formed by Hazrat Adam a.s (father) and Hazrat Hawwa a.s (mother) as the parents of all human beings. The real objective was to live as vicegerent of Allah on earth. In the Qur'an, marriage has been specifically referred to as Mithaqsn ghalizah , a strong covenant.

12. Thank You