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Course Overview

• Course Title: Changing Family Forms

• Professor: Daniela Urbina

• Institution: Department of Sociology, University of Southern California

About the Instructor

• Research Focus: Families and gender inequality in the Americas from a quantitative perspective.

Teaching Assistants

• Sheena Umemura

  • Ph.D. Student at USC

  • Discussion Sections:

    • Monday, 12:00-12:50 PM

    • Monday, 1:00-1:50 PM

• Dr. Elisa Shimada

  • Postdoctoral Teaching Fellow at USC

  • Discussion Sections:

    • Friday, 12:00-12:50 PM

    • Friday, 1:00-1:50 PM

Course Goals

1. Analyze Family Changes:

   • Understand shifts in family structures between the 20th and 21st centuries due to socioeconomic, cultural, and demographic forces.

2. Sociological Application:

   • Utilize a sociological framework to discuss issues related to families, gender, race, and social inequalities.

3. Empirical Assessment:

   • Evaluate qualitative and quantitative studies regarding family dynamics and implications.

Key Questions Explored

1. Changes in Family Dynamics:

   • How have families evolved through the 20th and 21st centuries?

2. Explanatory Frameworks:

   • What reasons do social scientists attribute to these changes? What evidence supports these claims?

3. Impact on Society:

   • What repercussions do these transformations have on individual well-being and societal structure?

Class Approach

• Focus:

  • Examine families through family sociology and social demography, emphasizing aggregate patterns over individual experiences defined by class, gender, and race.

Trends in Family Structures

• Declining Marriage Rates:

  • In the U.S., only 51% of adults 18 or older are married compared to 72% in 1960.

• Marriage Age:

  • Median age of first marriage has risen (currently 26.5 for brides, 28.7 for grooms) compared to 20.3 and 22.8 in 1960.

• Diverse Household Types:

  • Increase in varying household structures, as illustrated in census data from 1900-2020, including single-parent households and individual living arrangements.

• Fertility Decline:

  • The U.S. fertility rate is at its lowest in a century, with barriers such as high childcare costs contributing to trends in delayed parenting.

Shifting Public Opinion

• Nearly 40% of Americans believe marriage is becoming obsolete, leading to differing perceptions on family structures.

Contrasting Views

• Family Decline Perspective:

  • Suggests weakened marriage institution and risk to future generations.

• Family Change Perspective:

  • Argues families adapt continuously to broader societal changes, emphasizing independence and shifts in women's roles.

Syllabus Review

• Office Hours:

  • Professor Urbina: Thursdays 3-4 PM (in-person)

  • Sheena Umemura: Mondays and Fridays 10-11:30 AM (by appointment)

  • Dr. Elisa Shimada: Tuesdays and Thursdays 2-3:20 PM (Zoom, by appointment)

• Required Materials:

  • Families as They Really Are (2024, W.W. Norton)

  • Various academic papers in Perusall via Brightspace.

Assignments Breakdown

• Midterm and Final Exams: 45%

• Reflection Memos: 20%

• Active Reading via Perusall: 20%

• Class Attendance/Engagement: 15%

Course Specific Policies

• Late Work Policy: No late work accepted except for reflection memos (1.0 point deduction per day).

• Academic Integrity:

  • No plagiarism allowed; maintain proper citations in written work.

Main Themes Covered

1. What is the family?

2. Historical perspectives on family change (U.S. and globally).

3. Race, ethnicity, and family dynamics.

4. Social class influences on families.

5. Gender roles and family structure.

6. Practices of dating, cohabitation, and marriage.

7. Parenting and variations in family structures.

Class Takeaways

• Definitions of family are subject to cultural, demographic, and socioeconomic variations.

• The sociological perspective emphasizes the interaction of family as an institution with broader social structures, guided by norms and roles.

Next Class Focus

• Studying families from a sociological perspective through the lens of main theories and methods.