Family refers to a social unit consisting of individuals who are related to each other by blood, marriage, or adoption, and who share a common household. This category covers topics related to the history and evolution of the family, as well as cultural and legal practices around the world. From examining the changing nature of the family to exploring the challenges and benefits of family life, this category offers insights into this important and complex institution.
The increase in female-headed households represents a shift in the global family structure with significant socio-cultural and economic implications. From a cultural anthropology perspective, the rise underscores the necessity of interrogating traditional gender roles and addressing the gender wage gap.
The term "nuclear family" refers to a family group consisting of two adults and their children. It's considered the basic unit of the modern family structure. In this article, we delve deep into the concept of the nuclear family from a cultural anthropology perspective, exploring its origin, advantages and disadvantages, and its impact on society.
A joint family system is a familial arrangement where more than one generation of kin live together in a single household, sharing resources and responsibilities. This system is not exclusive to a particular region but has been predominantly observed in South Asian cultures, including India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Nepal.
The two primary types of family structures worldwide are nuclear family and joint family. A nuclear family typically includes parents and their offspring, while a joint family is an extended kinship network consisting of grandparents, uncles, aunts, and cousins.
Rules of residence refer to the societal norms dictating where a newly married couple will establish their residence. Anthropologists have long been interested in the study of residence patterns because they illuminate the social organization, family structure, and value systems within a society
Familial anthropology is an interdisciplinary subfield of anthropology that primarily explores the cultural and societal impact of familial structures, dynamics, and behaviors.
Descent and alliance remain vital constructs in the anthropological study of human societies, providing key insights into our understanding of kinship, family structures, and social relationships.
Patriarchy refers to a Social system in which men hold dominant positions of power and privilege, while women and marginalised genders face subordination and limited access to resources.
Patrilineal descent is a social organizational system predicated on the tracing of kinship through the male line. As one of the most dominant forms of descent systems globally, it has a wide-ranging influence on societal organization and culture.
The origins of the family as a social institution are deeply entwined with human evolution, the development of social structures, and the rise of agricultural societies.
