Page 144 - DSOC402_SOCIOLOGY_OF_KINSHIP_ENGLISH

Sociology of Kinship

Notes human families and found that there was not a single society in which the family institution was
absent. To clarify the concept of a family, here we discuss its meaning and definition.
The word family has originated from the Latin word ‘Famulus’ and is used for a group which in-
cludes mother-father, children and servant, generally, a married couple is called a family but ac-
cording to the sociological viewpoint, it is the incorrect use of the word ‘family’. A family should
essentially have a husband-wife and children. In the absence of any one of them, it should be
called a ‘household’ instead of family. The members of a family and household can possibly be
the same. Every family is a household, but all households are not families. The definitions of
family will make it more clear. Various scholars have defined family as follows:
According to Maceywore and Page, “Family is defined as a group-with adequate and regular
sexual relations, which arranges the birth of children and nurtures them.” According to Dr.
Dubey, “Family consists both man and woman, where, the two opposite gender individuals
have the social permission of having sexual relations, with the children of produced by mating,
they create a family.”
According to Mardoc, “Family is social group whose aim is to achieve a general residence, fi-
nancial support and reproduction. There are adults of the two genders, who establish permitted
sexual relations. They have their own or adopted, one or more children.”
According to Lusie Mayer, “Family is a household group, in which the parents and children live
together. The couple and its child/children are the base of the family.”
From the above mentioned definitions, it is clear that the scholars have defined family by vari-
ous viewpoints. Family is present in the society as a group and as an institution. In every society,
the family has two specific parts- One is structural and the other is functional. Fundamentally,
a family consists of husband wife and children. According to this view, there are at least three
relations in every family:
(i) Husband-Wife Relations
(ii) Parents-Children Relations
(iii) Siblings Relations
The first kind of relation is Affinal relation, while the second and the third are blood relations.
On this basis, the family members are related to each other. It is necessary to find affinal and
blood relations in the same family. In the absence of these relations, the creation of a family is
not possible.
According to the functional view, a family is created for the fulfillment of some basic motives. The
motive of a family is to regularize sexual relations, to give birth to children, nurture, educate and
make them sociable and provide them financial, social and emotional support. For the fulfillment
of these functions, the family members are bound together by rights and responsibilities. The cul-
tural characteristic of a family is that it plays a role in the creation, support and transfer of the culture
of society.

A family can be defined as a social group based on organic relations, which in-
cludes parents and children and the motive of which is to arrange general resi-
dence, financial support, sexual satisfaction, reproduction, socialisation and
education etc. to its members.

Characteristics of the family
Maceywore and Page have mentioned some characteristics of a family, which are found univer-
sally in every society.

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