FUNCTIONAL PERSPECTIVE OF FORMAL INSTITUTIONS AND FAMILY DYNAMICS IN TWO GENERATIONS

Abstract

The first enduring social structure in human evolution, no doubt, was system of kinship-family (Turner, 1972). Family consists of a group of people, related individuals, who live together and co-operate as a unit. It is probably the most important social institution. Family's age old ideas, norms, cultural, leadership, and value patterns are greatly changing. Technology, scientific development, western education have effected family structure. Functional theorists (for example Burgess and Locke (1945); Davis (1949); Ogburn and Nimkoff (1955); Parsons and Bales (1955); Mead (1934/1962); Merton, (1968) and several others have shown concern and argued that if a society is to survive and operate with some measure of effectiveness, it must guarantee that certain essential tasks are performed. The performance of these tasks or functions cannot be left to chance. To do so would run the risk that some activities would not be carried out and the society may disintegrate. Although acknowledging that families show a good deal of variation throughout the world, functionalist seeks to identify a number of recurrent functions typically families do perform.