Household Dimensions of the Family in India
Relevant for Sociology Optional for Civil Service Examination.
Relevance : Sociology Paper 2 , UNIT 12 Social Structure; Systems of Kinship in India
Household Dimensions of the Family in India.
Desai conducted a study in Mahuwa, focusing on various aspects of family structures. One critical aspect is the shift from nuclear families to joint families, which happens when sons get married and live with their parents or when parents continue to reside with their married sons. Conversely, married sons forming their independent households and living with their unmarried children create nuclear families. It’s important to note that this transition primarily pertains to the structural dimension of the family.
Desai categorizes family structures into several categories, such as husband and wife, one-member households, households with married sons and unmarried children, and various generational combinations. This classification primarily aims to understand household composition based on generational and lineage combinations, with the household serving as the fundamental unit for this categorization.
Various factors can lead to changes in family structures, and Desai identifies two main types of reasons: natural and circumstantial. For instance, jointness itself can lead to changes in family structure. For example, married brothers or parents and married children may separate due to the marriage of an unmarried brother or son, and brothers may separate after the death of parents. Other factors like the size of the parental family or space constraints in the household can also trigger separation. Circumstantial reasons for separation include situations like men initially living with relatives like maternal uncles but later establishing their own households, other relatives living with the head of the family passing away or leaving, and the head of the family going away alone for business purposes.
In addition to the structural aspect of the family, Desai examines different types of jointness based on degree, intensity, and orientation concerning the functions and obligations carried out by people who live separately or in distant locations. Desai identifies five types of households: those with no jointness, low jointness, high jointness, higher jointness, and the highest degree of jointness.
Desai’s findings reveal that family structures in Mahuwa are primarily nuclear but functionally joint. About 61 percent of families are nuclear, while 39 percent are joint, with varying degrees of jointness as described above. Among Desai’s study respondents, only 5 percent live independently. People clearly value the joint family system, even though they may be compelled to live apart from their parents, brothers, and other relatives due to structural constraints beyond their control.
Families are complex units with diverse and dynamic relationships influenced by factors like age, gender, kinship, education, occupation, workplace, and in-law relationships. It’s essential to understand that examining the legalistic dimension of the family’s household structure doesn’t capture the full complexity. Extended households function as miniature societies, reflecting the broader social values to which they belong. In addition to the dynamic relationships within the household, other dimensions such as norms, etiquette, the authority of the family head, and the rights and responsibilities of family members should be considered when studying family dynamics in India. Moreover, there are regional variations in household structures, and higher education doesn’t necessarily lead to smaller households. In fact, higher education is more common among upper and upper-middle castes, and joint families are more prevalent among them compared to lower-caste and class populations. Functionally, the joint household structure essentially forms a network of obligations among close relatives.
Reference: Static Portion
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Frequently Asked Questions:
1. Question: Define the term “ethnic movement” and provide an example from India.
Answer: An ethnic movement refers to a collective effort by a group sharing common cultural, linguistic, or religious traits, seeking to assert their identity and rights; an example from India is the Khalistan Movement in Punjab.
2. Question: Identify the main objectives behind the Gorkhaland ethnic movement.
Answer: The Gorkhaland ethnic movement primarily seeks to establish a separate state for India’s Nepali-speaking population in the Darjeeling region, advocating for linguistic and cultural recognition and political autonomy.
3. Question: What was the Operation Blue Star, and which ethnic movement was it related to?
Answer: Operation Blue Star was a military action in 1984, aiming to remove Sikh militants hiding in the Golden Temple in Amritsar; it is related to the Khalistan movement, which sought a separate Sikh country.
4. Question: Mention a critical factor that triggered the emergence of ethnic movements in India, as discussed by Dipankar Gupta.
Answer: Dipankar Gupta emphasized that ethnicity is fundamentally a political process, wherein caste and religion, the key components of identity formation, are politicized by leaders for vested interests.
5. Question: What were the primary reasons for the Assam Ethnicity conflicts involving Bodo tribals and Bengali Muslim settlers?
Answer: The Assam Ethnicity conflicts primarily stemmed from issues related to immigration, land rights, and resource allocation, leading to clashes, riots, and evolving relationships among indigenous communities to address challenges.
6. Question: Briefly describe the role of the Dravidian Movement in terms of caste and societal structure.
Answer: The Dravidian Movement, led notably by E.V. Ramasamy, aimed to establish an egalitarian society, focusing on anti-Brahmanism and advocating for equal rights for backward castes, while also introducing reforms like self-respect marriages.
7. Question: Name the prominent ethnic movements in North-East India and specify one common objective.
Answer: Prominent ethnic movements in North-East India include the Nagas’ and Mizos’ struggles; a common objective was to gain autonomy and recognition for their distinct tribal identities and cultural uniqueness.
8. Question: What is the key argument of Gail Omveldt regarding traditional Indian society and multiculturalism?
Answer: Gail Omveldt opposed romanticizing traditional Indian society, arguing that hierarchy has always dominated it and dismissing the notion that multiculturalism is an intrinsic feature of Indian society as a myth.
9. Question: Briefly explain the social hierarchy factor as a contributing element to ethnic movements as suggested by Olzak.
Answer: Olzak suggests that the construction of hierarchies among ethnic communities, which often leads to the suppression of one group by another, is a key factor that can instigate social and ethnic movements.
10. Question: Identify one consequence of the unequal economic development factor within the context of ethnic movements in India.
Answer: One consequence of unequal economic development is the marginalization and underdevelopment of certain groups, leading to feelings of alienation and sometimes initiating ethnic movements as these groups strive for equality and recognition.
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