FAMILY

Family



Abstract

In this study, we try to explore the concept of “Family” in a holistic context. The main focus of the research is on “Family” and its relation with “sociology.” The research also analyzes many aspects of “Family” and tries to gauge its effect on “subtopic.”

Table of Contents

Introduction1

The functionalist perspective of family1

The conflict perspective of family3

Woman as sexual property4

Symbolic Integrationist Perspective5

Similarities and differences6

Conclusion7

SOCIOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVES OF FAMILY

Introduction

In order to study anything, one must begin by making some assumptions about the nature of what is being studied. For example, the ancient Greeks believed that the universe was run according to the whims of the gods. By contrast, all scientists assume that the universe is orderly and operates in certain regular ways, which we may be able to discover. Thus, Newton developed the laws of gravity after observing that apples always fall, never up. A working set of assumptions is called a “perspective, an “approach,” or sometimes a “paradigm.” Sociological perspective is a lens through which sociologist views the society.

In sociology, there are three main perspectives that deal with the concept of a family. The three main sociological perspectives are, 1) The functionalist perspective 2) The conflict perspective, and 3) the symbolic internationalism. The functional and the conflict approach have analyzed the family as a social institution and on a macro-level, and the symbolic interactionism has studied the family on an individual basis.

The functionalist perspective of family

The functionalist perspective in sociology, which is also known as functionalism, has an opinion that every of facet of the family is dependent upon each other, and this thing adds to the functioning of the society overall. The state usually provides funds for education of a child, and the family, consecutively pays tax to the state government, on which the state government is dependent to run its operations. Therefore, the family is reliant on the school to educate their child, and assist the child in developing themselves and avail employment opportunities so that he can maintain his own family in the future. In the due process, the children learns to obey the law, learns the importance of paying tax to the government, and in this way, they assist the working of the state. If everything goes smoothly, the family would be able to establish stability, order, and productivity in the society. The functionalist approach says that every member of the family is dependent upon each other for working, and no part of the family or even the society can function properly without other. (Margolis 1984)

The functionalism perspective implies that a family keeps itself united through cohesion or general agreement, i.e. all the family members usually agree upon on a single thing, and all the members of the family usually work in unity to achieve whatever thing is most beneficial for family on the whole. According to Emile Durkheim the agreement in the family, can two forms:

The first type of consensus is the mechanical commonness. This is a form of consistency, which would arise when the family members have similar ...