SOC304i: FAMILIES OF THE WORLD
Spring 2002, Quigley 202, 9:00-9:50 MWF.
Instructor: Dr. Lew Hendrix, Department of Sociology
Office: Faner 3428. Hours: Mondays and Tuesdays 10:00-12:00 and 1:30-2:30, or by appointment at other times. Office Phone: 453-7614. E-mail: lhendrix@siu.edu
GOALS and OBJECTIVES: Families of the World (FOW) raises questions about the causes of variations in family patterns among the societies around the world. We will only occasionally touch
on domestic life in the USA. Almost everyone experiences life in a family, yet few of us know how our families resemble or differ from families of other societies. FOW tries to assess the diversity
of human family patterns among the traditional societies of the world-where the varieity is greatest. FOW thus looks in depth at basic family forms rather than elaborating current fads and problems.
It applies three major kinds of theories to these basic forms for increased understanding. These theories take different slants on the age-old nature-nurture controversy, although all see both biology
and culture as relevant. Learning goals are specified as questions for each topic in the weekly schedule below.
COURSE OBJECTIVES: The student learning objectives of the course are as follows:
1.the student should demonstrate knowledge of the diversity of family forms around the world,
2.the student should demonstrate knowledge of the causes of this diversity, and
3.the student should be able to identify elements of the three theories accounting for this diversity.
INTERDISCIPLINARY NATURE OF THE COURSE: FOW brings together materials from several disciplines. Descriptions concepts and theories of family life come from anthropology, history,
demography, and sociology. Theories include structural-functional theory from anthropology and sociology, and human sociobiology, which is grounded in biological evolutionary theory, and conflict
theories from sociology--including some marxism and feminism. While we know quite a bit about the ways in which families vary around the world, there is debate among the diverse perspectives in
trying to explain these patterns of family life.
GRADING CRITERIA: Course grades will not be curved, but are based on the percent of the 360 points available that you accumulate, using ten percent intervals. The cut-off lines are:
| LETTER GRADE | PERCENTAGE POINT RANGE |
| A 90-100% | 324-360 |
| B 80-89% | 288-323 |
| C 70-79% | 252-287 |
| D 60-69% | 216-251 |
| F <60% | <216 |
These points come from four quizzes counting 10 points each (for a total of 40 points), a 100-point midterm, a 100 point final exam, and a 120-point research project. The quizzes will be primarily
multiple-choice and the exams will be primarily essay.
NOTE: Any changes in the exam schedule and due dates for assignments listed in this syllabus will be announced in advance in class.
ATTENDANCE POLICY: You should attend class regularly. You must have a legitimate reason for being late with an assignment or missing a quiz or exam. Moreover, you are responsible for
finding out about information you missed in lectures, announcements, and updates on the class project as it progresses, even if you have excused absences. Arriving late to class or leaving early is
rude and disruptive. Avoid it always.
RESEARCH PAPER: You are required to write a research paper in which you apply the theories of the course to courtship and arranged marriage in traditional societies. This paper will help to
accomplish each of the three objectives listed above. I will ask you to dig out descriptive information from two cultures in the Human Relations Area File (HRAF: a large partially-computerized
archive of descriptions of of hundreds of societies around the world) for evidence pertinent to applying the theories. I will assign some cultures in HRAF to each student.
PROJECT PHASES: The project is in two phases:
<>1.PRELIMINARY: First, you gather information on one society in HRAF, and do a preliminary 2-3 page paper on ONE culture from HRAF, in which you describe the relevant structural factors in
the society needed for applying the theory, then describe the rules on mate selection, and then state a conclusion on which of the three theories can be applied to this case (given the possibility of
inadequate information on it). You will receive feedback on whether you have gathered the needed and appropriate information and on whether your application of the theories seems to be on the
mark. Step 2 counts 20 points. FORMAT: Typed, 2-3 pages, using sociology style references to theory and HRAF publications. [If you are unfamiliar with the sociological style, I will provide a
handout, and you can look in any sociology journal, such as American Sociological Review or Sociological Quarterly for specifics and examples.]
<>2. FINAL: Next, you gather information from another society in HRAF, and possibly return to the first culture to try to clarify obscure or incorrect points, and ascertain information missing in
your preliminary paper. Then, you think and write the final paper, using feedback from the preliminary paper for improvement. The paper should describe the theories of mate selection and apply
them to the two ethnographic cases, which are also described. The central question you will be answering is "which theory explains the patterns in these two societies best and which is least
adequate?" To answer this question in your theory, you will need to review the theories, describe the two cultures, apply the theories, and reach a conclusion on how well each theory explains the
differences between these cases.
PAPER FORMAT: Typed papers only with one inch margins. Cover page with paper title and your name. Six to ten pages in the body of the paper. Three to five major sections identified by
subheadings in all caps. Works cited in a bibliography on separate page, with a minimum of six sociology style citations to relevant sources in HRAF and other social science publications including the
course readings.
EXTRA CREDIT: For up to 20 points extra credit you can integrate research and theories of and extramarital sex into your research paper in addition to those theories presented in class. The
minimum is five social science publications on courtship or mate selection not listed in course readings. To integratemeans to incorporate them substantively, rather than merely appending them to the paper.
REQUIRED READINGS:
1. Pasternak, Ember, and Ember, Sex, Gender, and Kinship: A Cross-Cultural Perspective. 1997.
2. Reserve readings in Morris Library. Some 10 additional book chapters and journal articles (averaging about 15 pages each) are on reserve in the library. Take notes as you read these! It will help you to identify and to remember key ideas and findings.
3. HRAF Materials on internet via Morris Library. Carefully reading original ethnographic descriptions of adultery and reactions to it are a required part of the class project.
SCHEDULE OF WEEKLY TOPICS AND READINGS
Note: the letters before some reserve readings denote that the author is describing or applying a particular theory, as follows:
[c] = conflict theory [sb] = sociobiology [f] = functionalism. Pay attention to these letters, as you need to distinguish the concepts and ideas of each theory. Other reserve readings are more
empirical or testing various theories; hence they will have no identifying letters.
1. Jan 14-18. Mate selection, or getting married.
What are the diverse ways of getting married among the families of the world? What are the kinds of marital transactions and why do they differ across societies? How can we explain restrictions on mate choice? What is marriage about theoretically--reproduction, labor, or sexuality and dominance?
Pasternak, Ember, and Ember, Chapter 1, Introduction, 1-12. Chapter 7, Getting married, 147-165.
Jan 21. M.L. King Day.
2. Jan 23 & 25. Three family theories: functionalism
What are the basic concepts each theory uses to account for the existence of families? How does each theory fit nature and nurture together to explain the existence of families? How diverse does each see family patterns to be among the world's societies?
RESERVE:
[f] Murdock, George P. 1949. Social Structure, Ch. 1 "The Nuclear Family," pp. 1-22.
3. Jan 28-Feb 1. Three family theories: conflict theory
[c] Collins, Randall. 1975. Conflict Sociology, Ch. 5. Part I "A Theory of Age and Sex Stratification." Pp. 228-258.
Friday, Feb 1. Quiz 1.
4. Feb 4-8. Three family theories: sociobiology (or evolutionary psychology)
[sb] Handout: to be announced.
5. Feb 11-15. Human sexuality: diverse norms, beliefs, and practices.
How do sex norms and practices for childhood and adolescent heterosexuality, and for homosexuality, vary among the cultures of the world? Why? How do the theories see this variation?
Pasternak, Ember, and Ember, Chapter 2, 13-44.
6. Feb 18-22 Extramarital sex.
What is the range of variation in adultery norms? How do theories address this variety?
RESERVE:
[sb] Daly, Martin, Margo Wilson, and Suzanne J. Weghorst. 1982. "Male Sexual Jealousy." Ethology and Sociobiology 3: 1-27.
[f] Davis, Kingsley. 1948. Human Society. Ch.7 "Sexual Jealousy" pp. 175-194.
[c] Review Collins for his views on the structural causes of norms and feelings about adultery.
Wednesday Feb 20 Quiz 2.
Friday Feb 22. VIDEO: Nomads of the Rain Forest. Which work is done by women, by men, and by children. What patterns suggest sexual equality or inequality? What is the family structure? Who
provides what kinds of food for whom.
7. Feb 25-Mar 1. Gender: diversity and uniformity.
How (and why) is work divided between the sexes in different societies? What is the widespread pattern? How (and why) does sexual inequality vary? How do personality traits, cognition, and emotions differ between women and men, and how does this vary across cultures?
Pasternak, Ember, and Ember, Chapter 3, 45-76.
[c] Coltrane, Scott. 1992. "The Micropolitics of Gender in Nonindustrial Societies." Gender & Society 6: 86-107.
Friday Mar 1. Phase 1 paper due.
8. Mar 4-8. Incest and its prohibition.
Is the incest taboo universal? How does it vary? Are incest avoidance and/or taboos based on genetic predisposition, OR on social and psychological functions? OR do men use incest to control women?
Pasternak, Ember, and Ember, Chapter 5, Marriage and the incest taboo. 103-126.
RESERVE:
[f] Davis, Kingsley. 1948. Human Society. Ch. 15, pp 394-404 only (From "Social Functions of the Family" through end of "The Incest Taboo."
[sb] van den Berghe, Pierre L. 1979. Human Family Systems: An Evolutionary View, Ch. 3, pp. 76-82 only (start with section on "Incest Avoidance" to end of chapter)
[c] Ward, Elizabeth. 1985. Father-Daughter Rape, Ch. 9, "The Family--A Man's Home is His Castle," pp. 193-201.
March 8. Midterm Exam (This is Friday before the break, so make travel plans accordingly).
March 11-15. Spring Break!
9. March 18-22. Forms of marriage.
What are, and how widespread, are monogamy, polygyny and polyandry? What leads to their practice --the division of labor, warfare, or male competition and inequality? What is sororal polygyny and fraternal polyandry, and where do they occur? What is the nature of same-sex marriage in the world's societies?
Pasternak, Ember, and Ember, Chapter 4. Marriage and other mated relationships.
RESERVE:
[f] Murdock, George P. 1949. Social Structure, Ch 2. "Composite Forms of the Family." Attend to the first section on forms of marriage only, pp 23-32.
Monday Mar 12. VIDEO: MASAAI WOMEN: What is the form of marriage, ages at marriage, specific transactions, and who arranges a marriage. Where are love and jealousy socially located?
10. March 25-29. Marital residence and descent rules.
What are the diverse patterns in where couples live after marrying? What varieties of larger kin groups do traditional societies have? How do we explain residence and descent -- warfare and division of labor, women's property rights, or uncertainty of paternity?
Pasternak, Ember, and Ember, Chapter 10, Marital residence, 211-231
Chapter 12, Descent groups, 255-279.
Monday, Mar 25. VIDEO: KINSHIP. What descent group types are described. How do they give order to social life?
Monday Apr 1. Quiz 3.
11. April 1-5. Marital residence and descent rules, continued.
12. Apr 1-5. Extensions of the family.
What are the forms of residential family structure, and to what factors are they linked -- economic development, nomadism, climate? What differences do family extensions make in people's relationships with other family members?
Pasternak, Ember, and Ember, Chapter 11, Family and household, 232- 254.
RESERVE:
[f] Murdock, George P. 1949. Social Structure, Ch 2. "Composite Forms of the Family." Attend to the second section on extended family forms only pp. 32-40.
Review [c] Collins on large elite families in "fortified households in stratified societies."
VIDEO: Apr 5: SMALL HAPPINESS: NOTE the impact of arranged marriage and extended family on interpersonal relations-including sexual and generational inequality.
13. Apr 8-12. Demography and family extensions: The Western case.
How have family extensions varied in Europe and America? How have mortality, fertility, and age at marriage affected the family cycle and the quality of family life over the centuries?
RESERVE:
Flinn, Michael. 1981. The European Demographic System, 1500-1820, Chs 2 & 3 "The Demographic System of the Ancient Regime" and "The Instability of Mortality" pp. 47-64.
Burkner, Lutz. 1972. "The Stem Family and the Developmental Cycle of the Peasant Household: An Eighteenth Century Austrian Example." American Historical Review 77: 398-418.
Friday Apr 12. Quiz 4.
14. Apr 15-19. Marriage relationships and divorce.
What is the range of variation in the key dimensions of marriage around the world, such as dominance, intimacy, violence, and role segregation? How do we explain these--descent, warfare, economic factors? How do divorce and grounds access vary for women and for men? How do we explain divorce rates among the world's societies--marital intimacy, sexual inequality, reproductive strategies?
Pasternak, Ember, and Ember, Chapter 8, The marital relationship, 166-190. Chapter 9, Divorce and remarriage, 191-210.
RESERVE:
Hendrix, Lewellyn. 1997. "Quality and Equality in Marriage: A Cross-Cultural View." Cross-Cultural Research 31:201-225.
[sb] Betzig, Laura. 1989. "Causes of Conjugal Dissolution: A Cross-Cultural Study." Current Anthropology 30: 654-676.
Friday Ap 19. Final Research Papers due.
15. Apr 22-26. Parents and Children.
How diverse are infant and child care and socialization among the families of the world? How are boys and girls socialized differently or similarly? Do all societies attempt to contain childbirth within marriage? How do rituals announce the parent-child relationship? How do functionalism and conflict theory differ in their views on norms on illegitimate (nonmarital) birth?
RESERVE:
[f,c] Hendrix, Lewellyn. 1996. Illegitimacy and Social Structures. Ch.4, "Empirical Variations in the Control of Illegitimacy," pp. 57-75.
[f] Barry III, Herbert, Margaret K. Bacon, and Irving L. Child. 1957. "A Cross-Cultural survey of Some Sex Differences in Socialization." Journal of Abnormal and Social Psychology 55:327-332.
16. Apr 29-May 3. Parents and children continued.
No additional readings. Use time to review for final exam.
Finals Week: May 6-10.
Comprehensive final exam. Our assigned slot is Wednesday, May 8 at 7:50-9:50 AM.
NOTE: Course grades will not be posted. If you want to know your final exam grade and course grade before SIUC notifies you, bring a stamped self-addressed envelope to the final.