This semester I'm taking a class on the sociology of marriage and families. Our first assignment is a discussion on the following questions:
1. Find a definition of “family” embedded in a social policy, program, or law. The definition may be implicit rather than explicit. To give you just a few examples, what relationships are considered “family” in our federal law providing employment leaves to care for family members (i.e., The Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993)? Which family members could be included in your health insurance “family” or “spouse” policy? Which family members could join under your “family membership” at the YMCA?2. If you were creating a definition of family, what would it be? Would it be consistent with the definition you found for Question 1 or not? What criteria would you use in determining whether a particular relationship should count as a family relationship? For example, would DNA play a role? Legal contracts, like marriage or adoption? Emotional investment? Identity as a family? Length of relationship? Living arrangements? Other criteria? Which criteria are most important, and why? In developing your definition, be sure to consider how it will treat relationships that have tended to be inconsistently viewed – like cohabiting couples, gay families, and stepfamilies.
I haven't looked up the answer to question one yet, but I know that for me it would be too narrow. In the large scheme of things I think anyone who thinks of themselves as a family, is a family. However I also think the definition that matters to most (as far as legislation goes) would be immediate family rather than just family. My best guess at this point of an adequate definition of immediate family would be those who share your household and have an intimate (but not necessarily sexual) relationship with you.
This could be your "normal" family of mom, dad, kids. Or it could be one parent with kids, two married adults without kids, one parent a step parent and kids, etc. BUT it would also include those are aren't normally included when it comes to such things like health insurance currently. Co-habiting couples of any sexuality, your more traditional family and your sick dependent aunt, you and your best friend who have a very close but completely platonic relationship, etc.
What do you think qualifies as a family?
P.S. The picture is of my family, as well as some friends at my cousin's birthday dinner.
