Ideologies and Family A close examination of social relations inside the family

What do we look at when we analyze the family? demographic characteristics of the family members: family size, age, ethnicity and gender of the members social class of the family, the economic level and mobility of the family, the professions of its members, the education levels of the family members what spheres of life are important in and to the family unit the effect of social change on the family the interactions of the family with other social organizations. diversity of family forms in contemporary societies in relation to ideology, gender differences, and state policies such as those concerned with marriage interaction between family members within the family. How they rely on one another. How they work together/rely on the work of someone in the family.

Religious Ideology and Family Historically, religious discourses have played a significant role in constituting family members and constructing particular forms of behavior in families, and religion has been particularly important.... An example of the role of religion in this respect was the'witchcraft craze' in Medieval Europe. According to Turner, this was a device to regulate the behavior of women…Women were seen to be irrational, emotional and lacking in self-restraint; they were especially vulnerable to satanic temptation.'

Money Ideology and Family In the Judeo-Christian belief system marriage is modeled after Adam and Eve's lifetime commitment between man and woman. The married couple produces children, constituting the nuclear family. In her 1995 article The American Family and the Nostalgia Trap, sociologist Stephanie Coontz first posited that the American family has always been defined first and foremost by its economic needs. In other words, MONEY and status may be the driving force of most marriages.

Divorce and Family Individualism: In today’s society, families spend more time apart than they do together. Some individuals in a family focus more on personal happiness and earning income to support their family that it consumes the time actual spent with their family. Women have become more independent: Now that women have equal rights and have proven over time that they have the potential and ability to support themselves, women find it much easier to leave unhappy marriages. They are also more work focused, thus giving them less time to cope with their relationship. Stress: Stress is a big factor in marriages. Working to support a family, while trying to stabilize finances is a big factor of stress. Also, with both partners working (in most cases), leaves less “family time” which makes raising children difficult. This often happens in the stage where couples are raising young children. Socially acceptable: In today’s generation, divorce is now more socially acceptable. Now, instead of discouraging a divorce in an unsatisfying relationship, it is more widely accepted and sometimes even encouraged. Not only is it now more acceptable, but it is also easier to get a divorce legally than it was in previous years according to the Divorce Act of 1968.

Roles of Mother and Father In what some sociologists term the "bourgeois family", which arose out of typical 16th- and 17th-century European households and is often considered the "traditional Western" structure, the father's role has been somewhat limited. In this family model the father acts as the economic support and sometimes disciplinarian of the family, while the mother or other female relative oversees most of the childrearing. This structure is reflected, for example, in societies which legislate "maternity leave" but do not have corresponding "paternity leave".bourgeoismother Some view the mother's duties as raising and looking after children. Despite this, mothers are often criticized for not contributing to the family income but the lack of economic contribution is often due to the time required to raise the child(ren), which restricts potential working time. Often, if the mother is out working, many people view her as abandoning her children and not giving them the best life. In this situation, there is no positive portrayal of the mother.