Sociological Perspective Family

Jean Bethke Elshtain presents a critical perspective about the deteriorating state of the family in contemporary society in her article, “Society's Well-Being Depends upon the Traditional Family”. By employing rhetorical strategies of ethos, logos, and pathos, the author constructs a persuasive case that calls for renewed focus on the family as the fundamental unit of society. Elshtain builds her argument through a combination of rhetorical strategies, including the use of ethos, logos, and pathos. Each of these elements contributes to her overall argument and the extent to which her rhetoric succeeds in convincing readers of the urgency in addressing the challenges faced by the family unit.

Stone writes about three essential functions of family stories– to pass on the family’s standards, to identify family characteristics, and coping strategies. The first of the three functions is the standards of the family since the family act as the “first culture,” teaching people what their family values and their opinions on certain situations like marriage and illness, mental or physical (Stone 384). The second factor is the family’s characteristics and their traits that bind them together, which act as the family member’s confidence boost (384). Furthermore, this boost makes them value themselves more than the next family, so that the family members contently remain together (384). The third factor is influencing how families cope; these “teaching stories” tell each family how to function outside of the family (385).

Introduction There are many different types of cultures in society around the world, all with their own individual accepted ways of behaviour, some cultures might be familiar and others might seem strange to us. Cultures have their own set of norms to control acceptable behaviour. If we as fellow human beings all took the initiative to understand each other’s cultures, it might not seem that strange to us anymore and it is possible that we could help others in a way that is acceptable to the society in which we live in. The aim of this essay is to discuss, using a view based on the sociological imagination, whether a unique personal family issue can be related to an issue in society.

As indicated earlier, traditional therapy methods focused mostly on the individual. The system’s theory method includes the family. The Geno-grams provides framework that includes the family into the therapy process, and helps in indentifying the relationships between family members and the external environment (Cierpka & Sprenkle, 2005). In the case study, if Gustavo was to be focused on solely without including the family members, it would not be easy solve the problem.

How might the following 3 theoretical approaches explore the topic of poverty in the family - structural functionalism, social conflict, symbolic interactionism? Structural functionalism a framework for building theory that sees society as a complex system whose parts work together to promote solidarity and stability (Macionis et al,2013, p.10). Structural functionalism can be a very valuable theory when addressing poverty. It focuses on the structure of things and can be used to analyze the effects that structure has on poverty.

Although perceptions of who can be determined as ‘family’ have been extremely customary in the past, Ellen Goodman utilizes a plethora of rhetorical strategies including perspective, figurative language and Aristotelian Appeals in order to express that straying away from labels and evolving with society over time will allow individuals to step beyond the realms of tradition and embrace the complexities of a more meaningful, extended family. In Ellen Goodman’s The Family that Stretches (Together), the author argues that what once stereotypically defined ‘family’ can no longer be representative of the greater population. She argues that in the modern day, it is important to understand that purely recognizing who falls under personal ‘family trees’ can be detrimental because a family tree alone is not sufficient in determining family. While Goodman does not fail to include empirical data and statistics to argue her point, the initial

With this understanding, families often need help to resolve their predicaments, to be able to function together as a unit to different entities (Murdock, 2013). Scholars

Family theories have been used throughout the history of nursing to help guide patient care and provide the best patient outcomes. Certain theories may be more applicable to the specific patient encounter; however, each theory has benefits and drawbacks to their use. The purpose of this paper is to examine two selected theories, comparing their strengths and weaknesses. I will also discuss a theoretical family in relation to one theory, and how that theory can be best integrated into the care provided by an Advanced Practice Nurse (APN). Description of Theories

Conflict theory can best be defined as viewing self interest as a basic human motivation. This human motivation comes from the will to survive and a strong desire to fulfill one’s needs and desires in life. It is said that conflict typically arises between individuals, groups or family members out of competing interests. Conflict theory doesn’t see conflict as being problematic, instead conflict theory suggests that conflict is necessary and often desirable to produce change (Chibucos, Leite & Weis, 2005). When it comes to the family unit, conflict theory argues that power among family members is unequally distributed with the male figure typically having the most power within the family.

The positive side of Murdock’s view is that is show an insight to the importance of families, as it critically examines its functions in society. Another functionalist perspective of family comes from Parsons, who believes that the functions a family has to perform will affect its shape or structure. Parsons looks at two types of family structures, the nuclear family and the extended family. His argument on extended family was that extended family has multiple functions, consumption and production included, whilst the nuclear family seemed to fit the needs of modern

“The Changing American Family” by Natalie Angier states, “Fictive families are springing up among young people, old people, disabled people, homeless people, and may well define one of the ultimate evolutions of the family concept, maximizing, as they do, the opportunities for fulfillment of specific social and economic needs outside the constraints of biological relatedness.” The ever changing social dynamics and circumstances of this life have opened the definition of family to encompass individuals who can fill those deep-seated needs

Maureen Samms-Vaughan’s article “Children Caught in the Crossfire” sends a very sensitive message to the families out there. The title encompasses the whole issue presented in the article. Vaughan creates a forum for families undergoing this issue, as well as for other families out there, to be educated about the severe consequences that the change in family structures have on children. Vaughan introduces her message by beginning with the thesis statement, “The change in family structure that children experience during their lives are not without consequences.” Even though the thesis would have been much more effective at the end of her introduction, it still helped to pave a path for the readers.

In many societies and depending on their cultures, men and women are seen equally and may share the same roles in the household or even a stay at home father and the mother being the breadwinner. In modern family, Phil and Claire share the responsibilities with both working and both looking after the kids. The gay couple, Mitchell and Cameron who has an adopted daughter, together they learn what roles they should take on but not being gender specific when raising their daughter and the dynamics in the household. In many families today, dual earning families increased and not just the male who goes to work but females as well and follow their dreams like furthering their careers. “In the 21st century within households two pay-checks have become essential for most families to maintain even a modest standard of living in order to provide” (Walsh, 2012:11).

Every human defines family in their own terms and hence different meanings maybe attached to it. A family in my understanding can be viewed as a set of people, united by blood or adoptive ties, sharing a common set of ideas, values, or beliefs and bonded

What is Family? Family is a group consisting of parents and children living in one household.(dictionary.com) Family can also be described as anyone being related by blood, marriage, a strong friendship between one another or adoption. My thoughts about family are very strong because I grew up in an extended family with five brothers and one sister in one household. My other family members lived in different cities, but we all grew up protecting each other from any harm. During my years with my family, we had some hard times because we were not as wealthy as other people, but we always made the best of things by smiling and having a good time with one another.