Changing Family Analysis

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From the early stages of life, interaction is essential to survival. “The family is the single most significant agent of socialization in all societies” (pg. 107) The real world: an introduction to sociology. We first learn about society’s values and norms within the family. For instance, we are told not to lie, not to steal and to share with our siblings. Therefore, the family is an important component of society. The chapter on changing family discusses marriage, and the role race plays in the family structure
. The Family institution is the main subject of this chapter. The institution of family is what drives society, without it, socialization would not take place. This chapter speaks about the importance of family in society, and its …show more content…

Thus, the family institution is imperative for the development of society.
For many centuries, marriage has been idolized by society. It is believed that individuals get married because of “love”. However, what constitutes a marriage is the need for company and survival. No individual wants to be alone, that’s why people marry. And one of the goals of the human race is the reproduction. According to the chapter Changing Family, a successful marriage constitutes a unified family. It says, that if two people come together, and find the satisfaction in working together they have created a successful marriage. In the chapter, marriage is described as a symbiotic relationship. What I mean by that is, with marriage people get benefits. Not both partners may get those benefits, but at least one person can. Examples of the benefits mentioned in the chapter were financial security, protection, and rights. In my family, my parents work together to pay the bills. Thus, we consider ourselves …show more content…

Although there are different kinds of families, the majority consists of two parents. The Africa American community contain poor family structures. The majority of the cases is due to the incarceration of African American males. Michelle Alexander, a civil rights advocate describes the incarceration of black boys as the New Jim Crow. Under those circumstances, African Americans are deprived of basic human rights and are being oppressed. They are sentenced to five or more years in prison for distribution and possession of drugs. Whereas, Caucasians are only given up to one year in prison. The incarceration of African American boys has had an impact on the family structure. Most of the inmates have partners and children. When they are sentenced time in jail, their families are impacted. Therefore, in the black community women are usually the providers, because they do not have a partner supporting them. Thus, they are given the named “superwomen” or as one of my classmate put it a “Strong African women”. Society, we continue to criticize the black community, but because of stereotypes and self-fulfilling prophecies, children grow up believing that they cannot be successful. Thus, they turn to the streets to make a living. A father figure is absent in most African American households and because of these absences, the family structure sits on a poor foundation. Black poverty is due because of this poor family structure. Women

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