Sociology II · 10 marks · 150 words

Marriage and family, the two social institutions with biological foundations, are complementary to each other. Discuss.

Answered by 3 toppers · CSE 2023–2024

Kinship, Family and Marriage in India

Syllabus: Systems of Kinship in India: (a) Lineage and descent in India. (b) Types of kinship systems. (c) Family and marriage in India. (d) Household dimensions of the family. (e) Patriarchy, entitlements and sexual division of labour.

How toppers approached it

From all 3 answers · about 150 words.

Opening

  • A definition2 of 3
  • No separate opening1 of 3

Body

  • Points3 of 3

Close

  • A summary3 of 3

The toppers’ answers

Aayushi BansalAIR 7 · CSE 2024 · 150 wordsTheir whole copy

Opening · a definition

Family is a co-residential, co-operating unit, containing at least two adults of opposite sexes, maintaining socially approved sexual relations & having children (G P Murdock)

Marriage is a contract for having & raising children (Malinowski)

Body · points

Marriage & family - complementary

  1. Marriage is the basis of forming affinal side of family

  2. Marriage regulates reproduction - family of procreation (Brown)

  3. Family regulates marital selections by deciding criteria, & field of selection for mates →

Close · a summary

arranged marriage!

⊙ Marriage gives opportunity to mobilise resources & connect to wider kins → broader family (Mandelbaum)

However, family & marriage are also not complementary.

⊙ same sex families, Cohabitation, live-in families without marriage.

⊙ Friendships are form of new families (& use of reproductive tech)

⊙ 'Love marriages', use of internet for spouse selection (Ravinder Kaur) show mate selection on own.

Family & marriage form a basic unit of society in social analysis

More on Kinship, Family and Marriage in India

Lineage and descent, kinship systems, family and marriage, and household dimensions of the family in India.

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