bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Atomistic Family — Fact or Fiction
Authors: Zimmerman Carle C.
Published: April 2019

Many sciences are taxonomic-then subject matter is classified into categories to each of which certain non-overlapping true statements may be made. This is not so in family sociology. With a few very broad exceptions, the basic concepts of family sociology are evaluative of the status of the families with regard to their strengths and weaknesses in relation to the controls over the individuals concerned and their implementation of social needs. Within this framework the same taxonomic classification (objectively speaking) can show wide ranges of strength or weakness and ability to carry out individual and social purposes. An examination of the main historical and contemporary concepts applied to groups of families shows this to be true. The same family or kindred groups can and do vary with time in their strengths and weaknesses. Hence the atomistic concept applied by Zimmerman to our contemporary Western family system is no more evaluative than any other family concept. With this in mind it is suggested that the atomistic family type with its weak controls over the individual is a current fact—not fiction. Thus the family system falls into the general category discussed by Aristotle in his Nichomachean Ethic-its type depends upon its strengths and weaknesses, its minimums and excesses, and not on its taxonomic forms. This view clashes with the optimism of the ideas of the Ogburnian school and the existentialism of the Parsonian group of family sociologists.
The Nuclear Family in Afro-American Kinship
Authors: Smith Raymond T.
Published: April 2019

While the universality of the “nuclear family” has been disputed by a number of anthropological writers the problem hasa always been to specify what is meant by this term. Here it is suggested that there are three analytically separable ways of looking at the nuclear family; as a cultural construct of very general definitional significance; as a unitary system of normative emphasis in which the roles of husbandfather, wife-mother, son-brother and daughter-sister are combined into a solidary unit with its own peculiar normative stress; and as a group of co-resident kin. It is argued that while lower class Americans in general and lower class Afro-americans in particular, share the general cultural premises which make nuclear family relations an important configuration for the definition of kinship, and while they frequently are to be found living in nuclear family households, they do not share the middle-class normative emphasis upon a unitary and ideally independent nuclear family system.
Polygamy and Monogamy in Kandyan Sri Lanka
Authors: Kemper Steven
Published: April 2019

Marriage in Sinhalese society has long been noted for its extreme flexibility, transitional nature, and nonexc] usivity. Recent studies have pointed to the interrelationship between these facts, the kinship system, and the independent property rights of both men and women. Such flexibility is also permissive of associated marriages, whether polygynous or polyandrous. It would be misleading, however, to reduce polyandry to a purely economic relationship. Rather it may be seen as a perfectly legitimate means of coping with the intertwined concerns of subsistence and sexuality, symbols emblematic of marriage and family in Sinhalese culture.
Secondary Marriage and Levels of Seniority among the Abisi (PITI), Nigeria
Authors: Chalifoux Jean-Jacques
Published: April 2019

Among the Abisi, polyandry and polygyny are integrally related. Men and women pursue separate marital careers; each typically engages in three marriages, the outcome being a polyandrous polygynous secondary marital system. Rules of clan exogamy and the system of marital prestations assure that all men marry in their youth; as they grow older, their improved economic status enables them to attract additional wives and maintain a higher rate of residential polygyny.
On the Relevance of Having Two Husbands: Contribution to the Study of Polygynous/Polyandrous Marital Forms of the Jos Plateau
Authors: Muller Jean-Claude
Published: April 2019

Many Nigerian people allow a woman to have several husbands in different groups. These polyandrous marriages are all structural variations of a reciprocity system involving endogamous versus exogamous groups, and primary marriages (i.e .. the first marriage of a girl) versus secondary marriages O,e., her second and subsequent marriages). These possibilities form a group of transformations, in LeviStrauss' sense, in which the exogamous groups are articulated around the combination of the four terms of two contrasting pairs, exogamy versus endogamy, and marriage with unmarried girls versus marriage with already married women, the two terms of the second pair being always mutually exclusive.
Changes Over Time and Space in the East Indian Family in Rural Trinidad
Authors: Adomsky Joseph Nev
Published: April 2019

Much of the anthropological literature on the East Indians in Trinidad focuses on cultural retentions and social persistence. Arriving as indentured laborers from India, the majority of Indians ultimately remained on the island and settled in rural communities where they are said to have reconstructed a village organization similar in form and content to villages in north India. The Indian family especially is said to have been successfully reconstituted. This paper challenges this prevalent assumption. Data on family patterns in India for two time periods is compared with data on East Indian family patterns in Trinidad, also for two time periods. On the basis of this evidence it would seem that the Indian family has not, in fact, been able to maintain its traditional integration in the face of migration, indenture and fifty years of social change. In short, Trinidad's East Indians are a long way from India in space, time and social structure.
Female Marriage Patterns in Canada: Changes and Differentials
Authors: Gee Ellen M. Thomas
Published: April 2019

This research is concerned with analysing differentials in age at marriage and universality of marriage among Canadian women for the period from 1931 to 1976, using Canadian census data. The variables examined are place of residence (rural/urban), ethnicity and region. Trends and variations in female nuptiality are examined from a framework focussing upon the dimensions of marriage desirability, marriage feasibility and availability of mates. It is found that, while some convergence along these three variables has occurred and while the mid-twentieth Century upswing in female nuptiality was virtually universal, differentials in marriage pattern in terms of these variables remain. Cultural factors, particularly, appear to continue to exert an effect upon marriage pattern.
Correlates of Population Pressure on Rural Households: A Nigerian Case Study
Authors: Uyanga Joseph
Published: April 2019

The illusion of “large reserves of natural resources,” has led to a situation where the Nigerian government adopts a very rudimentary population policy; to her, population pressure in Nigeria is more apparent than real. This paper asserts that there is a “felt” population pressure at the rural household level; the effect of which is explicitly associated with family size and having too many mouths to feed. The main hypothesis investigated is that parents and children from relatively small rural households are qualitatively different from those in large households. Household migration, mortality, maternal health, child growth, nutritional status and child care time are directly related to having “too many” children in the house. The implications of these findings for policy purposes are discussed.
A Quest for Mind : A Study of Family Interaction Role-Taking Ability and Use of Elaborated Language, in an Icelandic Setting
Authors: Thorlindsson Thorolfur
Published: April 2019

This paper explores the relationship between family interaction, as conceptualized in by Basil Bernstein in terms of person-and position-oriented interaction, use of elaborated language, and the concept of role-taking ability. A model involving these four variables is conceptualized by using the Piagetian concept of egocentrism as a core synthesizing notion. In order to evaluate the model empirically measures on mother-child interaction, language elaboration and role-taking abilities were obtained from 92 Icelandic eighth-grades. As hypothesized role-taking was positively related to language elaboration, and mother-child person-oriented interaction was positively related to both language elaboration and role-taking ability. As was further hypothesized position-oriented mother-child interaction was negatively related to language elaboration and role-taking ability. It is concluded that the model is supported by the empirical evidence.
Decision-Making Power in Romanian Families
Authors: Elliott Joyce E. , Moskoff William
Published: April 2019

This article examines the distribution of decision-making power between Romanian husbands and wives. Survey research data were collected in interviews with 295 working women and housewives in Bucharest in 1976. The findings showed a remarkable degree of decision-making equality in these households, in contrast with other kinds of evidence on marital behavior, such as household task-sharing. The authors conclude that the study of decision-making provides only a limited understanding of marital equality.
Family and Friends: A Supportive Network for Low-Income Amertcan Black Families
Authors: Ball Richard E.
Published: April 2019

Two particularly important categories of these potential allies of the low-income black family are relatives residing outside the home, and friends. Data presented here regarding these components of the social network were gathered from a probability sample of 111 low-income black women. Unlike most research on low-income black Americans, this study focuses on persons residing outside of Northern metropolitan areas.

Contact with family and friends is frequent, and the perceived potential helpfulness of these persons in the resolution of major problems is high. However, a majority of respondents, including those heading attenuated families, report that they seldom or never request such help. Thus, in many instances these components of the social network appear more important for interaction and emotional support than for actual assistance in major problem resolution. This may be due to major problem usually being handled within the household, the hesitance to involve others whose resources also may be limited, a desire to retain autonomy, and the rarity of occurrence of events subjectively perceived as being major problems.
Sex-Role Attitudes and Attitudes to Marriage Among Urban Greek-Australian and Anglo-Australian Youth
Authors: Callan Victor J. , Gallois Cynthia
Published: April 2019

Eighty-eight (45 male, 43 female) Greek-Australian and 89 (43 male, 46 female) Anglo-Australian young people, all residents of a multi-ethnic city with relatively small immigrant groups, completed a self-administered questionnaire which explored sexrole orientation and stereotypes and attitudes to marriage. Greek-Australian subjects of both sexes described themselves as having higher levels of masculine traits, and to desire these traits more, than did Anglo-Australian subjects. Other results revealed that Greek-Australian subjects advocated a less egalitarian pattern of decision-making within marriage, and that they placed more importance than Anglo-Australians on the practical and familial aspects of married life. Thus, Greek values and attitudes to marriage and sex roles appear to maintain some influence on these second generation Greek-Australians.
Some Aspects of ‘Complex’ Families in Calcutta
Authors: Chakrabarti Prafulla
Published: April 2019

The primary purpose of this paper is to test a model of household structural variation developed by Barbara Laslett. This model predicts change in household composition due to class conflict arising from the development of a capitalist economy. In the present study data for a rural Kentucky community in 1900 and 1980 are analyzed. This historical period differs from that used by Laslett to develop her model. This analysis indicates that household variation at either point in time is the result of the developmental cycle rather than class conflict, and that the cause of change in household structure over time is the result of factors other than class conflict.
Seeking Immigration Through Matrimonial Alliance: A Study of Advertisements in an Ethnic Weekly
Authors: Bhargava Gura
Published: April 2019

This paper analyzes newspaper advertisements placed by Asian Indians seeking or offering an opportunity to migrate to North America through matrimony. In particular it explores sex differences in the manner of advertising. The advertisements appeared in an Asian Indian weekly published in New York. Advertisers seeking immigration through matrimony are referred to as ’seekers’, those offering immigration as ’announcers’. Advertisers expressing an explicit desire for mates who are permanent residents of North America are classified as ’direct seekers’. Those whose wish for a permanent resident mate is only implied are classified as ’indirect seekers’. The analysis reveals that males more than females tend to be ’direct seekers’, and that females more than males resort to ’indirect’ seeking. Seekers tend to be younger than announcers, and are more likely to have never been married. About half the seekers live outside North America. They often advertise the possession of a marketable skill or a professional or North American degree to indicate potential for success in the new country.
Religious Ideology and Interpersonal Relationships within the Family
Authors: Dhruvarajan Vanaja
Published: April 2019

This paper attempts to explain how a religious ideology determines the nature of role relationships within the family. It is shown how ’Pativratya’ an androcentric ideology rooted in Hinduism has gripped the minds of a people. The data for this study were collected through field research from a South Indian village.

The finding is that Pativratya is built into the social structure and consequently women occupy a lower position in sexual hierarchy and are heirs to an unequal opportunity structure. Such a state of affairs is perpetuated over time through systematic socialization of men and women. In addition, women as mothers are coopted into the patriarchal family to train the next generation according to the tenets of Pativratya.

Impact of this ideology in a cross cultural context is examined through a study conducted in a Canadian metropolitan area. Preliminary analysis of this data shows that equal access to opportunity structure and exposure to multiple ideologies including egalitarianism leads to egalitarian relationships between the sexes. The implications of such a finding is that the power of Pativratya can erode under certain specified conditions.
Cross-Culturai Couples Counseling: A Developmental, Psychoeducational Intervention
Authors: Ibrahim Farah A. , Schroeder David G.
Published: April 2019

This article presents an intervention for couples who come from two different cultural backgrounds. The approach emphasizes that the therapist have knowledge of culture-specific strategies, general knowledge of the cultures involved (including the counselor or therapist’s), and information regarding each person’s world view, i.e., beliefs, values, assumptions, and expectations involved in the therapeutic encounter. An instrument and a strategy for assessing world views is discussed. Additionally, a cultural, developmental, psychoeducational approach, emphasizing communication, is presented. The goal of the approach is to enhance the cross-cultural effectiveness of the couple, by helping each partner understand the world view of the other, and by teaching a crosscultural communication model that will faciliate their understanding of self, life stage, and family developmental stage, and culturally appropriate problem-solving and conflict resolution strategies. The outcome should reflect a general acceptance of each other as “cultural beings”.
Mixed Marriage in Comparative Perspective: Gender and Power in Northern Ireland and Pakistanxyf
Authors: Donnan Hastings
Published: April 2019

By comparing the attitudes and responses to religious intermarriage in Northern Ireland and Pakistan this paper seeks to uncover some of the less obvious reasons for the hostility shown to such marriages. Although viewed negatively in both places, intermarriage provokes greater antagonism in Northern Ireland than in Pakistan. While this is closely related to the different political circumstances of the two countries, it is also related to the way that men and women are perceived in each rlace and to the power which they are thought Lo exercise in different contexts. In some cases intermarriage becomes a political issue and the paper looks at the consequences which this has for how we conceptualise the relationship between domestic and public domains.
Patterns of Asian American Intermarriage and Marital Assimilation
Authors: Lee Sharon M. , Yamanaka Keiko
Published: April 2019

The significance of intermarriage in the assimilation of Asians in the United States was examined using data based on the 1980 Population Census of the United States. Ethnic differentials in intermarriage patterns within the Asian American population was also addressed by comparing six groups - - Chinese, Filipino, Indian, Japanese, Korean, and Vietnamese. The main findings include a relatively high level of intermarriage among Asian Americans (25 percent of all marriages) and significant variations in outmarriage rates by ethnicity, nativity, age, and gender. We also observed that social distance, measured by an index of marital proximity, between Asian Americans and the majority population of non-Hispanic white Americans is lower than that for the two largest minority groups in the United States, blacks and Hispanics. Implications of the study for ethnic relations and assimilation of Asian Americans were discussed in the conclusion.
Chinese American Intermarriage
Authors: Sung Betty Lee
Published: April 2019

Intermarriage is a growing phenomenon among the Chinese in the United States. Reasons are: More Chinese are coming to this country resulting in a doubling of the population over the past decade; mixed marriages are no longer illegal; the Chinese are intermingling; and social barriers against them have been lowered.

Nevertheless, marriage with a person of a different race or ethnicity can pose problems between the couple involved due to physical or cultural differences and Lo mixed offspring of the union. Family objection is a major hurdle and puts an extra burden on the relationship. Societal attitudes are changing, but not fully accepting as yet.

This study looks at Chinese American intermarriage based on data in New York City. Findings are drawn from census data, marriage license applications, and personal interviews with 50 intermarried couples. It is a pioneer study revealing rates of intermarriage. It provides age, sex, generation, education, occupation, income, and ethnicity of the marital partners. It gives divorce rates, family and societal attitudes as well as fertility rates for in and outmarried Chinese females. Some comparisons are made with non-Chinese groups and Chinese in other regions of the country.
The Impact of Migration on the Sexual Division of Family Work: A Case Study of Italian Immigrant Couples
Authors: Haddad Tony , Lam Lawrence
Published: April 2019

Through the use of indepth interviews, this study examines the impact of migration, from one social-economic mitieu to another, on family dynamics among 20 immigrant Italian couples in Toronto. Specifically highlighting the effects of wives’ wage employment on the division of family work and decision-making power, the authors question the argument that migration results in egalitarian gender dynamics within immigrant families. In doing so, they identify three distinct patterns of wife-husband relations among immigrant families: I) Sexsegregated division of family work and unequal power relations; 2) Sex-segregated division of labour and greater sharing of power; 3) Sex-transcendent division of labour and shared power under extenuating circumstances. Based on these findings, the authors argue that changes taking place as a result of migration are reflective of adaptation to new demands within the context of a new social and economic environment.
Marital Status, Distress, and Well-Being: An International Comparison
Authors: Mastekaasa Arne
Published: April 2019

A relationship between marital status on the one hand and various indicators of wellbeing and mental health on the other has been found in a large number of studies. Typically, that the currently married have been shown to enjoy the most favorable position, the divorced and widowed are generally worst off, and the never married in an intermediate position. This paper provides an analysis of the consistency and generality of this relationship: To what extent are there national differences? Is the relationship stronger for men than for women, as has been suggested by several authors? And is there evidence for such a relationship whatever measure of psychological well-being we use? Comparable interview data from 19 countries, including a few non-western ones, are used. The data are analyzed by ordinary linear regression methods, representing marital status by means of dummy variables and controlling for age and parenthood. Atleast some evidence of differences in psychological well-being between the currently married on the one hand and the previously married and the never married on the other are found in practically all countries. On average the relationship between marital status and well-being is quite similar for men and women. More striking differences are found between well-being measures. The relationship with marital status is weakest for positive affect and strongest for self-reported happiness, with the results for negative affect and overall life satisfaction falling in between.
Socioeconomic Structures and Mate Selection among Urban Populations in Developing Regions
Authors: Feldman Kerry D.
Published: April 2019

Nearly half the population of developing nations now reside in urban centers, attracting diverse ethnic groups from their surrounding rural regions. Anthropologists devoted considerable attention to documenting and understanding the mate selection norms and practices of these groups in their traditional settings and a plethora of descent and alliance theories ensued concerning this basic biosocial phenomenon. The investigation of these same groups in their new urban contexts has not brought forth many efforts at similar cross-cultural analysis of mate selection practices, or theoretical efforts to explain the continuity and change in these practices beyond the limited confines of this or that group/city/nation. In this paper mate selection practices by groups which have migrated to urban settings in the developing world are examined in the diverse settings of squatter settlements in Turkey and the Philippines, caste systems in India, tribal societies of Africa, matrilineal and patrilineal societies and among peasant societies of Peru and Mexico. The differential impact of socioeconomic urban conditions on men and women is emphasized regarding mate selection practices. It is argued that cultural factors (in a cognitive sense of that phrase) or psychological factors are not sufficient explanations alone for the diverse response of migrants to these urban settings regarding what occurs in them to traditional mate selection practices. It is argued that the structure of the socioeconomic system these groups depend on in an urban setting must be analyzed as a major factor influencing the trends toward continuity or change in mate selection. Conversely, the “city” as an independent variable per se is not seen as the controlling factor in this regard.
Families in Thailand: Beliefs and Realities
Authors: Limanonda Bhassorn
Published: April 2019

The main objective of this paper is to analyze families in Thailand in light of the country’s dominant religion, Buddhism. The analysis is based mainly on a review of the literature and research findings on family and religion documented previously. The focus is on changes in demographic structure and fertility behavior in relation to changes in household structure and size. Certain aspects of families are investigated, including the family system, the family life cycle, marriage and divorce, women in labor force, and the elderly. Buddhism, which has flourished in Thailand since the thirteenth century, has borne a strong influence in Thai society. Buddhism, as interpreted in terms of cultural expressions, has long been associated with the Thai way of life, attitudes, and codes of behavior of individuals at both societal and family levels. Moreover, in the past Buddhism played a very significant role in a person’s life from childhood to old age. However, during the past 2-3 decades Thailand has undergone rapid socioeconomic change toward more modernization and a greater degree of urbanization, and certain social values and behaviors which used to be closely related to religious interpretation are observed to undergo some changes as well in both the family and society in general. This may be an indication of a widening gap between beliefs and realities in modern Thailand.
Correlates of Desired Family Size in a Rural Area of Bangladesh
Authors: Mosena Patricia W. , Stoeckel John
Published: April 2019

Hypotheses concerning the relationship between social and demographic factors and norms of family size were tested on 1600 currently married women in Comilla-Kotwali thana, Bangladesh.

The results indicate that religion, family type and age of woman are significantly related to desired family size. That is, mean desired family size was significantly lower for Hindus than for Muslims, for joint than for single family units, and for women in the “younger” than the “older” (30 years and older) age groups. Neither the hypothesized inverse relationship for socio-economic status, nor the smaller norm of desired family size hypothesized for cooperative members was supported. The role that the level of development and the status scale may plan in these latter findings is discussed.
Work and Marriage: Mother-Daughter Similarities in Sri Lanka
Authors: Malhotra Anju , Tsui Amy Ong
Published: April 2019

This paper examines generational interaction and gender roles in Sri Lanka by focusing on the motherdaughter dyad with regard to the issues of marriage and work. Using survey and focus group data from the Kalutara district for 288 pairs of young daughters aged 15-30 and their coresident mothers, we examine each generation with regard to participation in paid employment and attitudes towards the daughters expected age at marriage. Our findings show that most of the women in our study, regardless of generation, hold some very “modem” attitudes about both work and marriage. At the same time, current work force participation levels are low among both mothers and daughters. The generational similarity extends to the determinants of attitudes towards marriage timing, showing that there is no generation gap, and that there is widespread normative acceptance of relatively late marriages among daughters as well as mothers, reflecting traditional support for delayed marriages in Sri Lankan society. The two generations, however, are very different in the factors correlating with their work status: for mothers, family issues, especially the work status of other members is of prime importance, while for daugthers their life course stage in terms of age and schooling status, as well as media exposure are the major factors related to employment. Mothers are more likely to be working because of economic need, while the younger women have greater flexibility on issues of family responsibility.
The Precious Few: Women’s Agency, Household Progressions and Fertility in Rajasthan Village
Authors: Patel Tulsi
Published: April 2019

Male authority and dynamics of power and privilege, and women’s ‘structural mutedness’ seem apparent. However, it is also accepted that wherever there is power there is resistance. In the light of the above issues, the paper explores women’s exclusive domain of childbirth in rural Rajasthan in Northern India. It adopts the pro-cessual, life cycle and household development approach to constitute women’s fertility career. It highlights the significance of women’s agency in their efforts at monouevering their own fertility outcomes without overthrowing mothering or patriarchy.
Sharing and Compassion: Fosterage in a Polynesian Society
Authors: Donner William W.
Published: April 2019

On Sikaiana, a small isolated Polynesian atoll, there are very high rates of fosterage and many children move between several different caretakers. Fosterage is an important way to express Sikaiana values of generosity and build social relations. Sikaiana fosterage provides an example of how several different families can share responsibilities for raising children. Sikaiana fosterage also provides a comparative perspective for examining American and other Western family systems where there is a widespread preference for the exclusive rearing of children within one family.
Japanese and U.S. Marriage Experiences: Traditional and Non-traditional Perceptions of Family
Authors: Bell Linda G. , Bell David C.
Published: April 2019

Structured home interviews with 99 U.S. and 60 Japanese families included a projective exercise in which families made pictures of the family. The marital relationship, as presented in that picture, was compared for the two samples. The data can be summarized with two overarching themes: similarity and tradition. A number of themes were similar for families in both cultures: the tendency to see the parents/mates as a unit, and to see them as close to each other, the greater likelihood of including grandmothers in the family (compared with grandfathers), and the pattern of sons being more likely to be closest to fathers, daughters to mothers. Traditional themes were more common in the Japanese families. Marriage appeared to be based more o n a personal relationship in the U.S., with mates seen as more similar to each other than in Japan. Father/husbands were more likely to be seen as isolated in Japan; with mother/wives depicted as more connected with children.
Covenant Marriage: A New Alternative for Traditional Families
Authors: Rosier Katherine Brown , Feld Scott L.
Published: April 2019

The phrase “alternative family forms” evokes images of family organization that deviate from the so-called “traditional” model of nuclear structure with husband/breadwinner, wife/homemaker. This paper, however, examines a new, alternative form of marriage contract that is highly compatible with that traditional model: “Covenant Marriage,” which is currently available in just two of the fifty U.S. states. We begin by describing features of the covenant marriage alternative in Louisiana, and its supporters early, enthusiastic expectations. We then discuss its very limited adoption, but its much greater appeal to couples with traditional gender role attitudes. We conclude by considering the apparent value of the covenant marriage contract for those couples who wish to practice and promote gendered family roles and responsibilities.
Polygyny, gender relations, and reproduction in Ghana
Authors: Agadjanian Victor , Ezeh Alex Chika
Published: April 2019

Combining data from two Demographic and Health Surveys conducted in Ghana in 1991 and 1993 and information from focus group discussions held in four rural areas of that country, we analyze how the prevalence of polygyny in an area affects the gender hierarchy and relations within the family, and spousal attitudes to and communication on issues of reproduction and family planning. We find that in areas with higher levels of polygyny, where women and their roles in the household are seen as easily replaceable, gender inequality within the family with respect to these issues is more pronounced and enduring than in areas with lower polygyny levels. We briefly discuss implications of these findings for the future of gender relations in Ghana and in similar social contexts.
Shame in Korean Families
Authors: Yang Sungeun , Rosenblatt Paul C.
Published: April 2019

Although shame may be a pan-human feeling and concept, it may be different in important ways from culture to culture. This paper offers a view of shame in Korean families. It is based on intensive qualitative interviews with a single informant who is also the first author of the paper. The paper outlines the cultural roots of shame in Korea, the central place of shame in the functioning of Korean families, the ways that shame in Korea is not only individual but familial, the centrality and value given to shame in Korea culture, the ways parenting in Korea promotes shame, family benefits of shame, the entanglement of shame and gender with marriage and sexuality, and the etiquette and social dynamics of shame in Korean culture. The paper argues that understanding the ways that shame is uniquely defined, experienced, contextualized, and dealt with in a society is of great value.
Discrepant Parent-Adolescent Views on Family Functioning: Predictors of Poorer Self-Esteem and Problems of Emotion and Behaviour in British and Canadian Adolescents
Authors: Bagley Christopher , Bertrand Lorne , Bolitho Floyd , Mallick Kanka
Published: April 2019

Conflict between a parent and an adolescent may be indicative of problems of family cohesion, and may predict poorer self-esteem and problems of emotion and behavior. This idea is explored in high school and junior college populations in Alberta, Canada, and in Britain. In all, 1,796 12 to 19-year-olds completed the summary scale of the McMaster Family Assessment Device (FAD), which was also completed by a parent. Results were generally similar in both cultures, with many more similarities than differences. On all scale items, adolescents were significantly more critical of their family life than were their parents. The degree of difference between parent and child desc riptions o f family functioning was significantly correlated with the adolescents’ Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale scores, as well as self-completed, standardized measures of problems of emotion and behaviour. Differences between parent and child’s responses to the FAD were better predictors than FAD scores alone.
Physical Punishment and Maternal Beliefs in Sweden and Canada
Authors: Durrant Joane. , Rose-Krasnor Linda , Broberg Anders G.
Published: April 2019

The purpose of the present study was to examine the cultural embeddedness of the notions of hierarchy and solidarity in parent-child relationships at the macro and micro levels in two nations. Mothers’beliefs about and use of physical punishment in Sweden, where parental use of physical punishment has been prohibited by law, were compared to those found in Canada, where physical punishment is a legally sanctioned behaviour. Questionnaires were administered to 102 Canadian mothers and 97 Swedish mothers of preschool children. Support was found for the hypothesized relationship between micro processes and macro structures. Canadians reported using mild physical punishment more often than Swedes. While attitudes toward spanking were generally negative in both groups, the attitudes of Canadian mothers reflected a belief system that could be described as higher on the hierarchy dimension and lower on the solidarity dimension than those of Swedish mothers. The findings are discussed in terms of connections and contradictions between micro and macro level processes and their evolving natures.
Nuptiality Transition and Marriage Squeeze in Lebanon: Consequences of Sixteen Years of Civil War
Authors: Saxena Prem C. , Kulczycki Andrzej , Jurdi Rozzet
Published: April 2019

This paper examines nuptiality Tends and patterns in Lebanon using the 1996 Population and Housing Survey (PHS), a representative sample of 64,472 households that provides the largest demographic dataset for the country since the 1932 census. There are five objectives to this study. First, to analyze the proportions of single adults by age and sex, and trends and differentials in the mean age at first marriage (MAFM) for both sexes, at the national and governorate levels. Second, to estimate the singulate mean age at marriage (SMAM) for Lebanon and for its governorates. Third, to address some important methodological concerns about the shortcomings of both the MAFM (obtained from the direct question on age at marriage) and the SMAM (computed indirectly from the proportions single) to measuring average ages at first marriage, and to suggest a new measure based upon the combination of both these estimates. Fourth, to explore whether the war had any significant impact on age at first marriage and the marriage market in Lebanon. It is observed that the proportions of single women of childbearing age doubled between 1970 (shortly before the war) and 1996 (five years after war ended). Mate availability ratios (MARs), defined as the number of single males available per 100 single females in the adult age groups, have declined to 75 at age 25 and 50 at age 30, due to a war effect. Finally, the study attempts to answer the question whether the pursuit of higher education by women may adversely affect their marriage prospects.
How Parents Influence the Life Plans of Graduating Chinese University Students
Authors: Deutsch Francine M.
Published: April 2019

Between November and March of their senior year, eighty-four male and female graduating students at a Chinese University were interviewed about their proposed post-graduate plans and their parents’ reactions to them. In May or June of the same year, they reported on the choices they had actually made and their parents’ influence on those choices. Students pursued jobs, further study in China, or study in foreign countries. A majority of jobseekers had conflicts with parents, either over the type of job they sought or its distance from home. Ultimately, more than half of the students whose preferences differed from their parents acquiesced to their parents’ wishes. As compared to students with siblings, however, only children were more likely to resist and follow their own inclinations. The results were discussed both in terms of the persistence of norms of filial piety and familism among educated youth, and the increasing divergence of the life course in a rapidly modernizing, industrializing, and urbanizing China.
Women’s Status and Marital Satisfaction in Bolivia
Authors: Orgill Julie , Heaton Tim B.
Published: April 2019

A critical debate in the literature recently has centered on women’s autonomy, and particularly its effects on the marital unit and the family functions. This study uses information gathered from 865 mothers with children under the age of twelve in Bolivian communities to examine the relationship between women’s status, autonomy and marital satisfaction. In particular, four linear regression models are tested to examine the individual and collective relationships between status, relational, and autonomy variables and marital satisfaction. The amount of respect a wife receives from her husband in the home and her ability to express her opinion in her marital union are significantly correlated with higher levels of marital satisfaction. These findings suggest that raising women’s autonomy in these aforementioned areas enhances their satisfaction with their marital unions and familial situations. Women’s status and autonomy, as indicated by the amount of respect they receive and their ability to express their opinion are important dynamics in marital relationships.
The “Flight From Marriage” in South-East and East Asia
Authors: Jones Gavin W.
Published: April 2019

Over recent decades, a traditional characteristic of South-East and East Asia - the universality of marriage - has ended. The change has been dramatic and widespread, though variable across regions and socio-economic groups. The proportion of women remaining single in their 30s and 40s has climbed sharply, especially in the large cities and among the better educated. The proportion single among men has also risen, though the patterns have not paralleled those of women. A key consideration is whether the continuing rise in proportions remaining single is largely compositional -i.e. reflecting increasing proportions reaching higher levels of education and residing in urban areas - or whether the rise is continuing when such changes are controlled for. The paper assesses factors that may account for the change in marriage patterns, including reasons why it has proceeded much further in some countries than in others. Finally, some implications of the increase in non-marriage are discussed.
Cohabiting Unions in Sub-Saharan Africa: Explaining Botswana’s Exceptionality
Authors: Mokomane Zitha
Published: April 2019

Using the most recent Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) data, this paper examines the prevalence of current cohabitation in Botswana relative to other sub-Saharan countries. The results reveal that the prevalence of this type of union in Botswana is one of the highest in the sub-continent and the highest in Southern Africa. An exploration of existing explanations for these high levels are shown to be either inadequate or fail to explain all the facts. Factors such as Botswana’s constant population mobility, marriage squeeze and high prevalence of premarital births are postulated as more plausible explanations.
Reconstructing Mothering among Korean Immigrant Working Class Women in the United States
Authors: Kim Seongeun , Conway-Turner Kate , Sherif-Trask Bahira , Woolfolk Tara
Published: April 2019

Based upon in-depth interviews with 22 working Korean immigrant mothers of adolescent children in Philadelphia, we examined their mothering practices in the contexts of working outside of the home to meet the economic demands of their families. We used Strauss and Corbin’s grounded theory approach in order to guide our data collection and analysis. We found that mothering practices are negotiated and reconstructed in the process of their acculturation, and further are modified depending upon the length of residence in the United States. Mothering practices of recent immigrant women in this study are centered around the economic survival of their families. They are no longer practicing staying-at-home-motherhood since immigration but have become poor working mothers, who must prioritize work for themselves and their families. Mothers delegate their housework to their children, especially to their daughters. On the other hand, mothering practices of long-term immigrant women are centered around providing maximum support for their children, a minority in the United States to enable them; to become socially competent for the present and for the future. They fully utilize their time and relationships within their families and communities to achieve this end. This study shows that mothering practices are constructed and continually negotiated in the immigration contexts where Korean immigrant mothers and their families are located. The significance of the study lies in its capturing the complexity of mothering and working experiences in the acculturation process of Korean immigrant working class women and their families.
Labor Force Participation of Married Women in Hong Kong: A Feminist Perspective
Authors: Lau Yuk-King , Ma Joyce L. C. , Chan Ying-Keung
Published: April 2019

The study examined, from a feminist perspective, the labor force participation of married women in Hong Kong at different stages of the family life cycle, as well as the interaction of women’s gender role attitudes with human capital variables and resource variables. Findings showed that labor force participation of married women was both an ideological issue and a resource issue. The coexistence of a higher education level and a nontraditional gender role attitude positively associated with women’s labor force participation. Traditional and nontraditional women differed in where they look for childcare support. However, irrespective of their gender role attitude, women opted to work when their family needed their financial contribution and they chose to stay home to take care of the family when the financial situation allowed. Putting the welfare of the children and family before the mothers’ autonomy and personal development remained the overriding principle in the respondents’ work-family decisions.
Labour Division and Family Cohesion among Bedouin Flock Raiser Households in Scattered Rural Settlements in the Negev Desert, Southern Israel
Authors: Stavi Ilan , Kressel Gideon , Gutterman Yitzchak , Degen A. Allan
Published: April 2019

There are approximately 8,000 Bedouin families living in scattered rural settlements (also known as spontaneous hamlets) in the Negev desert, southern Israel, and about a thousand of these raise sheep and goats for their livelihood. These families are considered to be on the economic margins of Israeli society, in that analyses of Bedouin flock raising have shown marginal profitability and even losses. Why then do these families continue raising sheep and goats? The aim of this study was to examine the reasons for the maintenance of the flocks, focusing on genealogical and labour division issues. Data were collected using participant observation and structured interviews from 24 families living in such scattered settlements and raising flocks. Flocks were divided into small, medium and large, with 8 flocks in each group. Results showed a clear division of labour tasks related to the flock between sexes and among generations. The flock functioned as a cohesive factor among family members due to the mutual work and responsibility to the flock imposed on each family member. Reciprocal commitment and loyalty among family members was strengthened as a consequence of the division of flock ownership among them.
The Lost Years: Assessing Family Change in St. Petersburg, Russia, between 1983 and 2003
Authors: Swader Christopher S.
Published: April 2019

Considering reports that Stalin-era repression suffocated Russian family life and that the late Soviet rule in the l980's precipitated the "demoralization" of Russian society, observers might expect that the end of Soviet socialism could only strengthen families. As a first step toward piecing together the fate of Russian intimate relationships in this volatile period, respondents (n=l20) from St. Petersburg were asked in the summer of 2003 to rate the quality of five sets of family relationships at the time (2003) and retrospectively at three earlier dates (1998, 1993, 1983). They also named up to three causes of problems within each relationship. Despite difficulties of generalization since the sample of this preliminary study was chosen using a nonprobability quota technique, results indicate a stark perceived deterioration of family relationships between 1983 and 1998 among these respondents, with no apparent recovery thereafter. Furthermore, regression analyses show that the erosion of close-family bonds may be better explained by short-term family stress, while the weakening of extended families may be due more to long-term individualization pressures.