L8: SOCIAL INSTITUTIONS – KINSHIP AND THE HOUSEHOLD

Institutions

• Institutions are clusters of interrelated statuses, roles, values and norms, that they observe,
follow, occupy or carry out.

• In a society, there are many kinds of institutions. Each vary in how they interact with other
societies and groups, and how they function as an institution.

• In a society, there are (5) major institutions.

• We follow a “general field of interest.” Meaning we follow this pattern, a common pattern,
which enables us to be in one institution.

• Each institution is distinct/different from the rest.

5 MAJOR INSTITUTIONS

“Institutionalization”

• Refers to the process of embedding some conception (for example a belief, norm, social role,
particular value or mode of behavior) within an organization, social system, or society as a
whole.

“Institutionalized Behavior”

• A behavior that has become formalized and has become what is needed to be behaved or acted
out.

• Norms, from the previous lesson, are good examples.

“Institutionalized Roles”

• It is a set of behavioral expectations that leave little room for personal values, behaviors or
attitudes.

• Examples: Going to school, Going to mass every Sunday, Following traffic and road regulations.
 KINSHIP

• It is the web of social relationships that form an important part of the lives of all humans in all
societies.

• Kinship patterns may be considered to include people related by both descent – i.e. social
relations during development – and by marriage.

KINDS of KINSHIPS

• BY BLOOD

• BY MARRIAGE

• BY RITUAL (FICTIVE KINSHIP)

KINSHIP BY BLOOD

• Or Consanguineous kinship - includes those with common ancestors and excludes individuals
who lack ancestors in common.

• COMMON ANCESTORS? Your family.

KINSHIP BY MARRIAGE

• Kinship by AFFINITY - Is the kinship relationship that is created or exists between two or more
people as a result of someone's marriage.

• It is composed of two persons:

1. The woman in this kinship is called the SPOUSE or WIFE;

2. the MAN is called the HUSBAND.

Marriage

• Marriage is a special contract of permanent union between a man and a woman entered into in
accordance with law for the establishment of family life.

• A marriage can either be done with or without the permission and consent of the church or an
established religion, but it should be done with the formalities of the LAW.

Trivias about Marriage

• If you are unmarried, but you lived together with our partner for more than 5 years, you are
considered to be married informally, meaning you were not married in church, or under the law.
This is called “common law marriage” or “LIVE IN”. This means that you are treated as a married
couple even if you were not married officially.

• In some Muslim countries, if you were caught cheating on your husband or wife, you are stoned
to death, or buried under the sand with your head exposed on the ground.

• In Korea, the groom has his feet beaten with fish or a cane before his first night as a married
man — to test his true strength and character.
• In Kenya, the father of the bride blesses his daughter by spitting on her head and breasts. She
then leaves the village with her husband and does not look back for fear of turning into stone.

• In Mauritania, girls aged between five and 15 are sent to "fat farms" before their wedding to
pile on the pounds. If a bride had stomach rolls, stretch marks and overlapping thighs, it
signalled her husband was wealthy enough to keep her satisfied.

• In France, after the wedding ceremony is complete, the friends of the bride and groom would
collect all of the leftovers, bits of trash, and anything else they deem to be sufficiently gross
within a toilet bowl which they would then force the bride and groom to drink out of.

WHEN DO YOU KNOW WHEN YOU’RE READY?

1. You Don't Have to Impress Each Other

2. You Have Learned How to Trust

3. Neither of You is in Debt to the Other

4. When we are ready to love rather than be loved

5. You truly and deeply understand What "Forever" Means

Family

• Is a group of people affiliated either by consanguinity (by recognized birth), affinity (by marriage
or other relationship), or co-residence (as implied by the etymology of the English word
"family") or some combination of these.

• Your family can be composed of the main family members (mother, father, brother, sister) or
extended family members (Grandparents, Uncles and Aunts, cousins)

KINDS OF FAMILIES

• NUCLEAR

• EXTENDED

• SINGLE – PARENT

• CHILDLESS

THE NUCLEAR FAMILY - is the traditional type of family structure. This family type consists of
two parents and children.

1. FATHER

2. MOTHER

3. CHILDREN
 THE EXTENDED FAMILY - consists of two or more adults who are related, either by blood or
marriage, living in the same home.

This family includes many relatives living together and working toward common goals, such as
raising the children and keeping up with the household duties.

THE SINGLE PARENT FAMILY - consists of one parent raising one or more children on his own.
Often, a single parent family is a mother with her children, although there are single fathers as
well.

THE CHILDLESS FAMILY - is sometimes the "forgotten family," as it does not meet the
traditional standards set by society.

Childless families consist of a husband and wife living and working together. Many childless
families take on the responsibility of pet ownership or have extensive contact with their nieces and
nephews as a substitute for having their own children.

FAMILY ROLES

FACTORS that CHANGE Family Ties

• ALTERNATIVE FAMILY FORMS (blended families, single parent families, cohabiting relationships,
gay and lesbian unions) have become more common and more accepted. It is not clear how this
diversity of "family" forms will affect the lives of older people in the twenty-first century.

• SECOND, GENDER ROLES HAVE CHANGED as women have surpassed men in educational
attainment and have greatly increased their level of participation in the paid labor force.

Changing gender roles are also likely to alter marital relationships in later life, as women become
less dependent on husbands to manage the family economy and expect more companionate
relationships.

AND LASTLY, ECONOMIC SHIFTS. The spread of social security, private pensions, and lifetime
savings means that fewer old people are dependent on children for economic support than in
 the past, so intergenerational relationships are increasingly based on social and emotional
bonds.

FICTIVE KINSHIP or KINSHIP BY RITUAL

• Involves the extension of kinship obligations and relationships to individuals specifically not
otherwise included in the kinship universe.

• BY RITUAL – Because it involves some kind of ceremony for you to be related with each other.
(Baptism is a good example.)

• EXAMPLES: Your ninongs and ninangs. (GODMOTHERS AND GODFATHERS)