Abstract This paper describes how a family of origin functioned during familylife cycle events and tasks. Considers aspects such as degrees of assimilation and adaptation, differentiation, boundary adjustment, shifting of roles and establishment of family rules. The paper gives attention to particular events that challenge a family of origin during a phase of development. The essay shows that we can apply developmental thinking to a family system. The important points discussed are as follows:, clear introduction and focus, clear concise reporting and observations, demonstrated understanding of developmental tasks and events.
From the Paper "This paper describes how a family of origin functioned during family life cycle events and tasks. The events tasks selected are those of having young children, dealing with adolescence, launching children from the home, and being confronted with the empty nest phenomenon. The family of origin, Family Y, consists of a traditional nuclear family. They have been married for years and have three children, two girls and a boy, which are now adults."
Abstract This provides a valid introduction to the feminist perspective on familylife, using concepts of conjugal roles, dual-burdens, equal opportunities, and various social policies as evidence to support the feminist viewpoint. It looks at how many feminist sociologists believe that marriage and familylife exploits and oppresses women and how the traditional nuclear family, supported by functionalist and New Right sociologists, displays a definitively clear division of labour where women are expected to be housewives allowing the men to work. It also discusses how they perceive the nuclear family to mainly benefit men as women's domestic functions in the home allow men to dominate paid work as well as encouraging a patriarchal ideology.
From the Paper "Many feminist sociologists believe that marriage and family life exploits and oppresses women. The traditional nuclear family, supported by functionalist and New Right sociologists, displays a definitively clear division of labour where women are expected to be housewives allowing the men to work. Using this ideology, the female role within the family should be concerned with motherhood and housework as she is biologically best suited to this service, while the male function is to provide and protect the family and to act as a disciplinary role model to his children. Feminist sociologists disagree with this and the view that the nuclear family benefits all in society. They perceive the nuclear family to mainly benefit men as women's domestic functions in the home allow men to dominate paid work as well as encouraging a patriarchal ideology."
Abstract This paper reviews changing attitudes toward marriage, sex, cohabitation, religion and human values in the U.S. over the past 50 years. The author points out the devaluation of the nuclear family. The paper suggests the influence of comic strips as mirroring society and the sociopolitical climate.
From the Paper "Family life, at one time, was the foundation on which American communities, society and country were built. There was general agreement that the American family should consist of one mother who did not work and ..."
Abstract This paper focuses upon both the needs and the challenges faced by both the family as a whole and by individuals entering the final phase of the familylife cycle. It looks at how the final phase of the familylife cycle encompasses two separate stages, the launching phase (55-69 years of age), which is characterised by the last dependent member of the family exiting from the family system and the 'later life' stage (70 to 100+ years of age), which is characterised by the acceptance of a shift in generational roles.
Outline
Family Systems Theory
Launching Stage
Assessment and Treatment Issues within the Launching Stage
Transition from the Launching Stage to Later Life Later Life End of Life and Loss
Assessment and Treatment Issues in Later Life Summary
From the Paper "Self-concept plays a large role within this stage, which is best portrayed by Erikson's psychosocial theory of development. Here, the middle aged adult looks outside of themselves and aspires to care, or to be of service to others; such a notion is coined: generativity. Generativity is analogous to unselfish love and is given regardless of whether or not it is reciprocated (Erikson, 1963). On the other side of the notion of generativity is stagnation, in which the individual becomes completely self-absorbed. Such a stage of conflict contributes to one's sense of purpose and their expanded identity. Here, individuals re-evaluate their career goals, they have a shift in family responsibility and they must begin to deal with one's own mortality (Erikson, 1963)."
Abstract This paper examines how the history of the Australian family is a history of change in the economic and instrumental organization of familylife and in patterns of authority and relationships. It analyzes how familylife in Australia has changed over the last two hundred years. Since Australia was formerly a British colony, it also include details about the familylife of original inhabitants and social as well as economic changes brought in by free settlers and immigrants.
Outline
What is a Family?
Introduction
Aboriginal Families Colonial Australia ? Convicts Era and Early Immigrants
Early Twentieth Century - Urbanization and Industrialization
Suburbans and Families ? After World War II
Twentieth Century
Conclusion
From the Paper "By the 1970s, the prototypical nuclear family had yielded somewhat to modified structures including the one-parent family, stepfamilies and the childless family. One-parent families in the past were usually the result of the death of a spouse. Burns revealed that lone-parent families were rather common in the nineteenth century and continued into the twentieth century (Burns et al 1983, p.60). Now, however, most one-parent families are the result of divorce, although some are created when unmarried mothers bear children. In 1991, more than one out of four children lived with only one parent, usually the mother and most one-parent families, however, eventually became two-parent families through remarriage (Australian Bureau of Census and Statistics, 1991)."
Abstract This essay discusses the life of people in ancient Egypt. It describes how they lived and what familylife was like. More than anything, we see how Egypt was a profoundly religious society.
Abstract This paper presents a discussion about familylife using two plays as the backdrop for the discussion. The plays discussed are Lorraine Hansberry's "A Raisin in the Sun" and Sam Shepard's "True West".
Abstract The paper explains Dwyer's comments that the modern audience of Shakespearean drama may not understand the true nature of the families they see depicted. Amussen corrects the fact that Shakespearean audiences might not understand the structures of familylife in Elizabethan times, by providing a detailed analysis of the family, the place of women in the society of the time, the role of children, education, and sexuality. It shows how she addresses a variety of issues to show the nature of the family and the importance of familylife in England during the period.
From the Paper "The relationship between parents and children was simpler and more ordered. Children were to obey their parents, and parents would raise the children, introduce them to the world, and help them find a mate that would allow them to begin their own household and their own families. Amussen discusses education at some length, for this was how the next generation was shaped and how the business world was entered and directed. Children would first enter the world of commerce between the ages of seven and fourteen, but how they did so depended on their family background, educational level, and knowledge of some business."
Abstract The paper reviews the familylife cycle as discussed in a textbook penned by Ross J. Eshleman titled "The Family". The paper first reviews the birth of a child into a family unit, the socializing processes that occur and the transition to adolescence. From there, the paper looks at the socializing factors that shape young adults and then some time is devoted to looking at middle-aged parents and the final years of life.
From the Paper "The life cycle of a family is quite intriguing. We are all born, experience the helplessness of infancy, the possibilities of childhood, the rebelliousness of adolescence, the burgeoning responsibilities of young adulthood, become parents of our own (in most instances) and then, after having reared and socialized our children, come to rely upon them in old age. To begin this paper, there are many theories for the socialization process. For instance, there are conditioning theories or behavioral theories that emphasize stimulus/response interactions."
Abstract This paper examines how the family has changed significantly in the fifty-year period from 1940 to 1990. It discusses how one of the major issues of the 1990's is divorce, with divorce having a significant impact on the family. It attempts to evaluate the impact of divorce on the 1940's family and compares it to that of the 1990's family. The ideal family of the early 1940's was one based on the father working and the mother looking after the house and children. fter World War II, women began to enter the workforce more increasing the change of social values. This trend continued up to the present where divorce is increasingly common and families are increasingly complex because of this. In the 1990's, families no longer have the traditional mother and father. Instead, families include single-parent families, ones where custody is shared between two parents and ones where children have parents, stepparents, stepsisters and stepbrothers. Rather than hope for a return to a traditional family, society needs to change to support the new family structures that are emerging. The reality is that society has changed and that divorce is one of the results.
From the Paper "The family of the 1940's was one of change. World War II meant that women found themselves forced to take on greater roles at home. Women became part of the workforce and became more independent. At this time on history, divorce was allowed but not totally accepted. One book on the subject of the changing nature of divorce notes that the law represents the dominant social views of this time (Phillips 314). The divorce law at this time was one of fault-based divorce. Weitzman (48) describes this approach as one that was based on protecting marriage. Divorce was still allowed but only based on proving a fault of one party, such as abusiveness, adultery or cruelty."
Abstract This paper discusses the changes that have occurred to familylife in various countries around the world. The paper discusses the characteristics of families in Cina, as well as in Japan, India, Indonesia, Micronesia, and the Marquesas Islands. It also compares these characteristics to familylife in the United States. The paper then goes on to suggest reasons for these changes.
Table of Contents:
China versus India
China versus the United States today
Five Characteristics of the Japanese family Families in Indonesia, Micronesia, and the Marquesas Islands
From the Paper "Both genders are living with their parents longer than ever, as the age of first marriage for both men and women has increased, given the expansion of opportunities for employment outside of the home for young Japanese women, and the decreased attractiveness of marriage for many young career women. However, because of the lack of affordable housing in Japan, more young people chose to remain with their parents rather than find their own place to live. This is also traditional, given the less defined adolescent or rebellion period in Japan, and of the less stringent division between the values of the old and the young."
Abstract This paper discusses the connection between familylife and environment and the causes of various types and degrees of antisocial and deviant behavior. It examines the effect of familylife and particularly of stress within the family on these forms of behavior. The paper focuses on delinquency in adolescents and presents a case study of an individual named Gary.
From the Paper "In terms of solution, an intervention strategy is possibly the best method of dealing with this problem. This would involve intervention meetings that would include parents and child, school authorities and possibly healthcare and psychological professionals. The aim of this intervention would be to involve the family in an open and directed discussion about the underlying issues that are causing the problems. The hope is that through such intervention, the problems that Gary is experiencing and his related antisocial and criminal activated will be curtailed before they possibly develop into actions that can have life - long negative effects."
A discussion regarding how employers currently treat their employees with respect to working hours and familylife with specific statistical references.
1,490 words (approx. 6 pages), 5 sources, 2001, $ 49.95
Abstract In this paper the author addresses the issue of how the work environment, particularly in large companies, can meet the demands of familylife. He looks at the different areas that people work in and assesses how accommodating employers are to the needs of the employees with specific reference to flexible working hours. The author also looks at how employers treat employees returning to work after maternity leave and allowing parents to attend to children during regular working hours. The author then moves on to discuss stress levels at work and how this directly relates to hours worked and time that the employee can spend with the family.
From the paper:
?However, despite the fact that today's work/life movement has its roots in dependent care, the percentage of companies that provide assistance for dependent care remains remarkably low. For example, only half (50%) have set up pre-tax accounts that help employees set aside money for child care or elder care expenses. One-third (36%) provide employees with information that help them locate child care in their communities. As we might expect, less than 1 of every 10 workplaces either has a child care center at or near the work site (9%) or helps defray some of the costs of child care (9%).?
Abstract This paper focuses on the author's perception of how society and culture creates the perpetual cycle of violence. In "The Third Life of Grange Copeland" author Alice Walker demonstrates how families are adversely affected by the culture in which they live in and the depiction of ruthless and violent treatment of family members and particular women.
From the Paper "What is it in a society or culture that creates the perpetual cycle of violence and why do individuals, generation after generation continue to accept it? Part of it is that it has happened before and future generations follow the example of those who have lived before them and never taught any other choices. Early in the novel, violence is shown to be a part of the culture in which the Copelands live. Brownfield watches as his father berates his mother, calling her names and treats her poorly."
Abstract This paper discusses how environments affect the quality of familylife. The author goes with the assumption that families choose where they live in order to earn a living and secure an education. The paper explains how the environment plays a critical role in shaping the type of lifestyles that will be experienced by American families and discusses the positive and negative impacts of the environment on American families today.
Outline:
Review and Discussion
Conclusion
References
From the Paper "Today, families across America are living in widely different environments, with some preferring the fast-paced lifestyles that characterize urban settings while others enjoy the pastoral qualities of country living. In many cases, though, families live where they have to in order to earn a living and secure an education. Wherever they live, it is not surprising that the environment will have a profound impact on the quality of family life. While some families become stronger and more closely knit as a result of a less than desirable environment, others may respond by self-destructive behaviors and dissolve into a disparate collection of people bound only by name."
Tags: lifestyles, education, employment, community
