Marriage and the Family

(3 Credit Hours) · Undergraduate

The family is the most fundamental institution of all known societies, and the study of families is a core area of sociological inquiry. The word "family" is one that is pervasive in society, but it can have multiple meanings in various contexts, and it is a more difficult concept to define than we may initially think. What "family" means changes over time and varies across cultures, and there is much continual debate about what a family should be. By the end of this course, you should have a much broader understanding of what a "family" is and the significance of families for our society. It is within the family that socialization occurs and the family is the site where we derive many of our personal experiences, which may give the impression that "family" is very personal. Yet, the institution of the family is fundamentally intertwined with larger institutions such as the economy, the workplace, and the state. Additionally, families can both reflect and reinforce societal inequities, such as those based on class, race, and gender. We therefore assess these linkages by taking a sociological approach to studying the family.