This document discusses different perspectives on the family and various family forms in the Caribbean. It begins by defining the family and describing its functions from a functionalist perspective, including reproduction, socialization, economics, and providing love and belonging. It then discusses the family from a conflict perspective, noting that the nuclear family reflects capitalist values. It outlines different family forms in the Caribbean, including the nuclear family, extended family, single parent family, sibling household, and common-law family. It concludes by examining the impact of family on Caribbean society and culture, including on individuals, groups like African and Muslim families, women, education, and perspectives on the family institution.

1. D O N E B Y :
S A N G E E T A A N D
S U N E T A
S A M U E L
A N D
K A V I T A
D O O K I E

2. WHAT IS A FAMILY?
A Family can be defined as a group of people bound by that complex set of
relationships known as kinship ties: for others it is a group characterised by
common residence, economic co operation and reproduction. It is the basic
unit within society which ensures continued existence of society – procreation
of new generations. It is within the family that sexual activities: child bearing:
maintenance, support and socialization of the young are performed. The
family is the primary unit within society as it is within the structure that family
members learn their set of concepts, values, knowledge and skills; it is there
that the child is provided with its place in society- prestige or status; it is the
focal point, in many cases, for leisure.
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3. THE FAMILY FROM A FUNCTIONALIST PERSPECTIVE
The impact of the institution of the family on the lives of Caribbean people can be
understood from a functionalist perspective. Functionalism says (and society agrees) that
the family should carry out several functions listed below for order, stability and harmony
in society,
1. The reproductive function
2. The socialization function
3. The economics function
4. Providing love and a sense of belonging
These functionalist ideas and values provide a basis for the common interpretation of
the institution of family across the region, the family is seen as the basic unit of society, if
these functions are carried out in an optimal manner and if everyone plays a role, then
families would be happy and society would not be treated by any breakdown of social
order.
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4. THE FAMILY FROM A CONFLICT PERSPECTIVE
• The conflict perspective presents a more accurate picture of the institution of
family, particularly the nuclear family, as largely a product of capitalist
organisation of the economy and society - As such it embodies much of the
character of capitalist reactions with workers - conflict, contradiction, and
oppression.
• The nuclear family, which is often promoted as a universal family form reflects
an ethnocentric value that we have inherited. Conflict theorists say that the
value attributed to the nuclear family at present in our social institution of the
family result mainly because it is the value of the rich and powerful in the
society. The extent to which others hold this value is a reflection of the
condition known as false consciousness.
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5. FAMILY FORMS IN THE CARIBBEAN
◄ Nuclear family was brought to the Caribbean by the European is
also known as an elementary family, this is the tem used to define a
family group consisting of two adults of the opposite sex, at least two
of whom maintain a sexual relationship and a child/children who are
either adopted or biological of the sexual cohabited adults and is
characterized by common residence, economic corporation and
reproduction.
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6. FAMILY FORMS IN THE CARIBBEAN
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◄Extended family was brought by the Indians to the Caribbean in the
form of the joint household. This defines a family type that extends
beyond the nuclear family, consisting of grand parents, aunts, uncles,
and cousins all living nearby or in the same household. In some
circumstances, the extended family comes to live either with or in place
of a member of the nuclear family: a family that includes in one
household near relatives in addition to a nuclear family.

7. FAMILY FORMS IN THE CARIBBEAN
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◄ Single parent family- A single parent usually refers to a parent who has
most of the day to day responsibilities in the raising of the child/ children, which
would categorize them as the dominant caregiver who is not living with a spouse
or partner, or those who are not married. The dominant caregiver is the parent in
which the children have residency with the majority of the time.

8. FAMILY FORMS IN THE CARIBBEAN
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◄ Sibling household- consist of children living by themselves a s a result of
their parents dying or abandoning them. The eldest is usually the most
responsible individual as he/she works to provide for the younger children

9. FAMILY FORMS IN THE CARIBBEAN
◄ Common law family- this is a family consisting of the opposite sex or the
same sex living together as though married. It is a irregular form of marriage
that can be legally contracted in an extremely limited number of jurisdictions
and is universally recognised as a valid marriage.
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10. IMPACT OF FAMILY ON CARIBBEAN SOCIETY AND CULTURE?
 Individuals- while a particular group is said to have dominant set of ideas
and beliefs about family, different individuals in that family will experience
these ideas and beliefs differently. For instance in an Indian family the men
are respected and obeyed, and family gender relations are based on the
family hierarchy. TH experience of a girl in such a family is far different from
that of the eldest son,, who is the heir and is groomed to take over as head of
the family.. Such a girl in the Caribbean will most likely be educated, even up
to the tertiary level, but the relationship in which she lives demands reverence
for her father, deference to her brother and a code of conduct based on
obedience and purity.
 Groups
 African Families- Kin in the extended African family includes uncles, aunts,
grandparents, and others related by blood, marriage or fictive kinship ties.
These ties extend to people in the Diaspora who send money back home or
sponsor family members to become new migrants in the metropole.
 Muslim Families in Islam the issue of kinship and the extended family
include the practice of polygamy- the custom of having different wives. Such
families come under a great deal of scrutiny by others and they may
deliberately restrict their social interaction to avoid the curiosity and criticism
of those in the mainstream.
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11.  Women – Caribbean women find themselves accommodating to institutional ideas
which have locked them into certain roles that have worked to their disadvantage
relative to men. They are seen primarily as mothers – the major caregiver and
nurturer and the natural person to be the homemaker. Men seldom share this
burden equally. For the most parts women also work outside the home and then
come home to the second shift- domestic chores, taking care of children,
supervising schoolwork and becoming up to date with what is going on with
everyone. These institution ideas and how they play out in individuals homes are
responsible for gender socialization- how young girls and boys in families
understand the different roles played by men and women and learn to perpetuate
them.
 The Family- nuclear family has long been privileged as the ideal family and has
long been at odds with diverse, uniquely Caribbean family forms. Today the
institutional idea of the family are more accepting of different families, even within
the traditional nuclear family. This single-parent arrangement used to be frowned
upon and was thought of as the ‘breakdown’ of the family. Today it tends to be
more accepted, along with the ‘adoptive’ nuclear family. since the idea of the
nuclear family has now been expanded, other family forms seem to be more
accepted. Thus terms, like ‘illegitimate’ are no longer valid because the bias
favouring marriage is gradually being eroded in the institutional realm, showing
that institutional ideas and beliefs undergo change over time.
 Education - social institution of the family impacts on education in many ways.
Parental involvement is necessary for a child's academic success but parents of
the lower socio economic status are not really involved. The demand of the
working-class jobs, an inadequate academic foundation, and being intimidated by
the e attitudes of the teacher, it nevertheless remains true that family background
is an important factor in educational performance.
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