Question 1 · 195 words written
Developmental phases of household
Opening · a definition
The household is a structural and empirical dimension related to commensality and co-residence. It was revised as an important sociological category by A. M Shah, I.P Desai and later Pauline Kolende.
Body · continuous prose
Every household follows a life cycle based on demographic patterns of birth, death, life events, life crises. These processes change the patterns of relations and role allocations.
Thus, the notion of a typical 'joint family' or a 'nuclear family' is empirically untenable, given the development phases of a household.
These phases of the household create different methods of production, allocation and distribution of goods and services. A common pattern notes Patricia Uberoi is of the 'stem family' system in contemporary India. Here the married couple co-resides with the parents of the male (patrilocal). In such a system the method of production may be divided on lines of gender segregation and/or intergenerationally. This family size and composition may change over time based on the demise of parents, addition of children, who in turn may leave the household or make it more extensive.
Close · a summary
The household is thus located within the life cycle of a family. It is thus most susceptible to structural changes, unlike the family.