Term2 AOS unit 1 sac 2 family

Family

Is social unit consisting of people who are related to each other by blood, marriage, adoption or other forms of commitment

Institution

Is an established organisation or practice that exist to meet specific needs for the members of society

Social institutions

are formal groups that influence the structure and functioning of society.

Examples of institutions

◦Governments

◦Family

◦Universities

◦Hospitals

◦Business corporations

◦Legal systems

Social Institutions: Functions and Features

• Maintaining law and order

• Caring for members of society

• Establish and maintain social norms

• Socialize and educate children

• Slow to change

• Persist over time

Social institutions: Family

◦The primary institution that directs all other institutions.

responsible for teaching societal values to children, which helps to maintain a stable social structure.

Social institutions: Education

viewed as a social institution because it provides formal learning to students of various ages.

This learning reinforces a society’s cultural values and social norms.

It also teaches students the skills needed to contribute to the economy.

Social institutions: Religion

The role of a religious institution is to provide a set of values and a system of social support.

◦ The level of influence a religious institution varies within societies.

◦ Sometimes a society’s political and educational institutions are based on dominant religious beliefs.

Social institutions: Economy

◦The economy: Economic institutions provide members of a society with a monetary base, as well as the means to produce, distribute and consume goods and services.

◦The economy includes economic systems, markets, financial institutions and regulations.

◦It also involves the ways that income is shared and distributed in a society.

Social institutions: politics

Politics: Political institutions shape and guide a society's legal systems and formal decision-making processes.

They attempt to mediate conflict between different interests in society (such as by providing avenues for these interests to justice), as well as facilitating the creation, application and enforcement of the laws that govern people's behaviour

Socialisation

The family is the place where the first emotional bonds are formed, and the first experience of socialisation occurs.

is the process by which individuals learn and internalise the norms, values, beliefs and behaviours of their culture or society

How is family a social construct?

It is an idea created and defined by society. Shaped by social norms, beliefs and values, social constructs can vary across cultures and change over time.

Functionalism

◦This means that social structures such as family, government, economy, media, education and religion all play their individual, specialised roles to ensure social order, stability and productivity

◦For example, school

ls educate children so they can enter the job market and support the economy, while the economy is responsible for the production and distribution of goods for the survival of families.

Feminist Perspective

- Feminism can also be understood as a political and social movement that advocates for the rights, equality and liberation of women

- It is an awareness that women’s situations and experiences in society are different to those of men due to social structures in which men hold more power and privilege than women.

Functionalists views on family

Functionalists see the family as a necessary institution that benefits society, arguing that a strong family structure is essential for maintaining social order

• Key roles include:

• Reproduction, socialising children and providing emotional and economic support for its members.

• Problems in society such as crime can be linked to the breakdown of the traditional family structure.

• Functionalists favour the traditional family structure of a nuclear family, composed of a married couple and their children; it is seen as the most efficient and effective unit for performing these functions.

Functionalists fail to acknowledge

The diversity of family forms

Ways in which families are shaped by cultural, historical and economic factors by presenting a narrow and idealised view of the family that does not reflect the complexity and variability of true family relationships.

Fails to consider the changing nature of family and its functions over time. The family has undergone significant transformations in recent decades, with changes in gender roles, declining marriage rates and the rise of alternative family forms.

Feminist theory critiques

the traditional view of the family and its prescribed gender roles as a significant factor of female oppression. It contends that the nuclear family is where a child first learns how to take on these unequal roles. Thus, feminist scholars challenge the functionalist view of an ideal family, citing gender discrimination as a recurring theme.

Feminist perspective on family

• Liberal perspectives

• Radical perspectives

Liberal perspectives

◦ Promote gender equality through legal and political reform

◦They wish to promote equality within romantic partnerships and identifies gender roles as a barrier to this.

◦They promote paid parental leave and access to childcare

Radical Perspectives

◦locate the root cause of women's oppression through male empowering structures within society.

◦Dislikes the conventional nuclear family dynamic where women are compelled to be men's superiors

Feminist view on fertility

Feminists generally 

- welcome falling fertility rates

- a sign of greater gender equality and female autonomy

-Women's Empowerment

- Lower fertility often means women have more control over their reproductive choices through contraception, education, and career opportunities.

- Challenging Traditional Roles

It reflects a decline in traditional gender roles

◦where women were expected to focus solely on motherhood and domestic life.

Functionalist views on fertility

Functionalists, on the other hand, often see 

Falling fertility rates as a problem because they can disrupt the stability and functioning of society

- Aging Population

Fewer births mean an older population, which can strain healthcare and pension systems.

- Economic Impacts Lower fertility can lead to a shrinking labor force, potentially slowing economic growth.

- Socialization Concerns Fewer children may weaken the socialisation function of the familyaffecting the transmission of norms and values.

comparative perspectives

◦form of research that explores similarities and differences between social groups or society.

Generalized comparison of family types and dynamics in different nations

• Common family type

  • Australia: Nuclear family

  • India: Extended family

  • Japan: Stem family

• Core unit of family

  • Australia: Parents and children

  • India: Multiple generations

  • Japan: Grandparent, parents and children

• Responsibility for raising children

  • Australia: Parents

  • India: Parents, aunts, uncles, grandparents

  • Japan: Wife

• Responsibility for running household

  • Australia: Parents

  • India: Parents, aunts, uncles, grandparents

  • Japan: Husband works, wife looks after household

Compare the expeerience of family with another country

Refers to what it is like to be a part of and the level of connection within a family unit

Australia 2 Simalarty

Other country 2

Anylsyse the factors that impact the experience of families

Demographics shifts

Cultural

Economic

Technological and social developments

Analyse : compare 1 negative and positive

Demographic shifts influencing the expeirence of famliy

Denfintion

Definition: Demographic shifts are the changes in the size, structure, and distribution of a population over time.

Changing family structures

There has been a significant change in family structures with a decline in the traditional nuclear family and an increase in blended one-parent, same sex and de facto families.

According to the ABS, in 2021 43.7 per cent of families had children, 5.9 percent were one parent families and 38.8 percent were couples with no children

Positive and negatives of household income

Positive

More financial stability and independence

Negative

Can lead to stress or pressure to balance work and home

Positive and negatives of Gender roles

Positve

More equal division of chores and descision makingg

Negative

Conflict if traditional roles are expected by some members

Childcare and Parenting

Positive impact

Children see strong role models; better access to resources

Negative Impact

Less time for parents to be at home with young children

Career aspirations of children Positives and negatives

Positive impact

Encourages ambition and equality

Negative Impact

May feel neglected or lonely without

Relationships/marriages Positives and Negatives

Positives

Partners may share roles more fairly

Negatives

strain if time and energy are stretched thin

Increased female participation in the workforce

◦Women’s participation in the workforce has increased significantly over the past few decades, leading to changes in gender roles and family dynamics.

◦

◦ According to the ABS, in 1950 women accounted for 25 per cent of the workforce and in 2020 they accounted for 47.4 per cent of all employed persons in Australia.

◦This has led to an increase in dual-income families, with both parents working to support the family financially.

Ageing population

◦Australia’s population is ageing, with an increasing number
of older adults in the population.

◦This has significant implications for families, as they are often responsible for providing care and support for their ageing parents.

◦According to the ABS, in 2020, 16.0 per cent of the population was aged 65 years and over, and this is projected to increase to 23.9 per cent by 2058.

Economic inequality

has increased in Australia,
with significant implications for families.

•

•According to the ABS, in 2019–20, the top 20 per cent of households held 63.2 per cent of the total household wealth, while the bottom 20 per cent held just 0.4 per cent.

•

•This has led to increased financial stress and hardship for many families, particularly those in low-income households.

◦

Changing attitudes towards marriage and cohabitation

Attitudes towards marriage and cohabitation have changed significantly in Australia.

According to the ABS, in 2020, 76.5 per cent of couples who lived together were married, while 23.5 per cent were in a de facto relationship.

This shift has significant implications for families, as it can impact the legal rights and obligations of partners and their children.

Cultural developments

Is the process of creating, protecting and transmitting the beliefs, values, norms, customs, traditions and practices of a society, which are passed down over time.

Cultural developments are driven by various factors such as technological advances, migration, globalisation and social movements.

Many families have a range of different traditions, languages and customs

positive experiences where personal connections are strengthened through the speaking of specific language(s) and/or engagement with meaningful cultural and/or faith-based traditions.

‘Positives of cultural Developments ethnic hybridity

People who are members of multiple cultural groups form what is known as ‘ethnic hybridity’. Hybridity occurs when two or more cultural groups are blended to form a new cultural group.

Negatives of Cultural

•When family members feel pressured to adhere to specific cultural features tensions can arise:

•for example, concerns about the loss of language, erosion of important traditions and the weakening of intergenerational connections.

•A specific example you may use is the impact of interracial dating on experience of family.

Economic developments

◦Definition: Economic developments: are the processes of improving people’s access to financial resources, which is influenced by a variety of factors such as individual and collective contributions, charitable donations, government funding, and the economic conditions of society.

◦Economic developments have had a significant impact on families in Australia. The shift from traditional industries to a more service-oriented economy has resulted in changing employment patterns, with more people working in part-time, casual or contract jobs.

Impact of economic

◦This can impact family income, job security and work–life balance.

◦

◦ Additionally, the rising cost of living in Australia, particularly in cities, can make it difficult for families to make ends meet.

◦

◦This has contributed to a rise in multigenerational households, from 275 000 in 2016 to 335 000 in 2021 (ABS, 2021).

◦

This structure has evolved as a way to reduce the financial strain on families. A benefit of this type of household is the development of stronger connections across the generations, thus enhancing the experence of family

Social developments

•Social developments are changes within society that influence the behavior, attitudes and beliefs of individuals and groups.
•This can include changes in culture, social norms, values, social trends and interpersonal dynamics.

Social developments in Australia impacting experience of family

One major development is the growing acceptance of diverse family structures, including same-sex couples, blended families and lone-parent households. This change reflects a more inclusive and accepting society that values diverse family forms.

When Australians voted ‘Yes’ to amend the Marriage Act, it revealed an increasing acceptance of same-sex relationships and changed the landscape of families in Australia and resulted in 30 per cent of same-sex couples being married in 2021 (ABS, 2021).

◦the role of women in society has changed, with more women entering the workforce. This has challenged traditional gender roles and led to a shift
in family dynamics. For some, these changes bring opportunity. For example, people may choose not to have a family, others may decide to participate in a non-traditional family role, and others in couple relationships may negotiate the various roles that need to be fulfilled in a modern family

Media representations of family

◦The family, which is a key social institution, reflects the attitudes, expectations and cultural, social, economic and political context of its time.

◦Representations of the family in the media also reflect these factors

◦

◦Media representations can also have significant implications for how families are perceived and treated in society

◦

◦Historically, media representations of families have tended to reflect patriarchal and heteronormative values, with the nuclear family consisting of a married heterosexual couple and their children as the dominant ideal.

◦Definition: Heteronormativity is
the assumption that heterosexuality is the
norm and is the only natural or acceptable form of sexual orientation

Contemporary media representations

◦In recent years, there has been increasing recognition of the importance of more inclusive and diverse representations of families in the media, as well as greater attention to
the impact that media representations can have on social attitudes and behaviours.

◦

◦This has led to a growing number of portrayals of families that challenge traditional gender and sexual norms, and that highlight the diversity of family forms and experiences.

Government Policy

Are the principles and objectives of a government and the actions it takes to address various issues affecting it citizens an the nation as a whole

Long Term

Government assistance

is support and aid provided by a government to induvial, families or business facing financial difficulties or other challenges

Short Term

How Government policy and assistance influence experience of family

Government policies and government assistance influence the lives of citizens and by extension the experience of family.

This experience will be influenced by social economic cultural and political factors that impact families’ wellbeing and development, such as income inequality; access to healthcare, education and social services; family dynamics and cultural values.