FAMILY DIVERSITY

Family Diversity

Family Diversity

Introduction

Traditional anthropological definitions of the family which include aspects such as common residence, economic cooperation, and a sexually approved union of individuals from the opposite sex which results in reproduction, are no longer encompassing enough of the existing diversity which characterizes families around the world (Chambers 2000).

Today, for instance, there are families where the partners are not married but are cohabiting, there are families that choose not to have children, and there are families where the partners are of the same rather than the opposite sex and whose relations are not necessarily sanctioned by society. Nor is there necessarily a common residence (e.g., immigrant families which are often separated) or economic cooperation between family members. New reproductive technologies have added to this complexity by making it possible for women to have children in the absence of a father (e.g., through sperm donors) or for infertile couples to have a child through a surrogate mother (Chambers 2000).

Therefore what is a family is an open question which is often debated, contested, and often redefined as different groups try to establish one kind of legitimate definition over another. What is a family will continue to remain an open question and its definitions will be fought over by all those who have an interest to define it one way or another. Moreover, since family is a concept which is closely linked to other concepts such as marriage, sexuality, and parenting which are themselves quite often open to variable definitions it will probably continue to challenge the moral sensitivities of people.

The myth of the nuclear family

In many Western cultures, the so-called nuclear family, often also referred to as the traditional family, is presented as the normal type of family or the most desirable type of family while other types are often seen as problematic or deviant. The mass media often contribute to the idealization of the "traditional family" by singling it out and presenting it as the ideal model of the family. In such idealized presentations, the nuclear family is presented as the norm - the most widespread type of family - the only type of family which provides its members with what is valued in life: warmth, support, love, and a proper context for raising children (Chambers 2000).

Members of this type of family are also often presented as living in harmony and economic prosperity. The fact that some families may experience poverty, disability, or even violence is rarely, if ever, presented. Because issues related to the family are often highly politicized and touch on religious and moral principles and values, it is not unusual that certain types of families will be presented as problematic, abnormal, and potentially dangerous (Daly 2005).

The great variation both within and between cultures challenges the myth of the nuclear family and forces us to recognize the multiplicity of life conditions and circumstances that might give rise to different types of family arrangements whether these are due to social class issues and access to material resources, ...