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Sukanya Das, Lovely Professional University Unit 20: Family: Family and Household, Definition of Family, Nature of Family

Unit 20: Family: Family and Household, Notes

Definition of Family, Nature of Family

CONTENTS
Objectives
Introduction
20.1 Meaning, Definition and Nature of Family
20.2 Muslim Family

20.3 Christian Family
20.4 Summary
20.5 Keywords

20.6 Review Questions
20.7 Further Readings

Objectives
After studying this unit, students will be able to:
• Define a family and it’s characteristics.
• Study of Muslim family and their characteristics.
• Study of Christian family and their characteristics.

Introduction
Family is the smallest unit of the groups based on human relations. Every human being has
been or is a member of some family– “Family is the most significant group in the society” of all
the human-made social institutions, family is the basic and universal social institution. In all the
cultures, whether advanced or backward, family group of some kind or the other has necessar-
ily been found. Biological needs and the fulfillment of sexual desires is the reason for creation of
family. It is the family who takes care of the newly-borns and pregnant mothers, provides social
acceptance to sexual relations and conception by regularising them. It provides an environment
of emotional bond and helps in bringing up children, making them become sociable and pro-
viding education to them. Not only this, the family also helps in fulfilling the social religious,
economical, cultural and political needs of the family members.

20.1 Meaning, Definition and Nature of Family

The blanks occurred due to deaths are replaced by the family, in the form of giving birth to new
human beings and facilitating the continuity of the society. That is the reason why family has
been with human beings right from the very beginning. Maluionovasti says, “Family is the only
group, which man has brought along with him, since the animal stage.” Mardoc studied 250

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