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Essay / Research Paper Abstract
This 8 page paper explores sociological concepts as it pertains to the family. Families of the nineties are compared to earlier family structures. Definitions are explored. All discussion involves both systems theory
and the symbolic interactionist approach. Bibliography lists 6 sources.
Page Count:
8 pages (~225 words per page)
File: D0_2fam.rtf
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Unformatted sample text from the term paper:
parent and child or two parents and six children. It might simply be a homosexual couple or a blended family where the biological parents are separate and the children live
with one parent and that parents spouse. Things do begin to get complicated as laws and mores evolve, and the face of the family changes from what used to be
a typical model to the more diverse entities that have come about in the nineties. As many different living situations exist currently, from single motherhood to gay family units,
the definition of exactly what the term "family" means is certainly subject to debate. In the sixties, Charles Manson labeled his cohorts as members of a "family" but certainly sociologists
would reject his concept of family just as they would disavow his theory of "Helter Skelter." However, the dilemma remains. What is a family? Stacey proclaims that
the nuclear family is a myth anyway (1996). She defines family in a much broader sense. The premise of Staceys (1996) well-written argument as contained in the book In the
Name of the Family, is that prior to the industrial age, the concept did not even exist. It was only on capitalisms coat tails that the idea of breeding
was born. Prior to this, says Stacey, often parents couldnt afford to rear their own children and the word "family" hadnt even been uttered until about the year 1400 (1996).
Another sociologist, David Popenoe (1993), rejects Staceys broad definition. He has more complicated rules and does not recognize married childless couples, for example, as families; Stacey does almost the opposite
by including gay couples and single parent entities into her definition. If the seemingly simple word "family" is so difficult to define, what might account for that difficulty? Obviously, there
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