Introduction

For our first family, we are born or adopted into it – we had no choice in that. However, when we are grown we get to select our mate and decide what type of a family we will create.

The Assignment

Compare the traditional American family structure with another culture’s family structure of your choosing. In your essay, respond to the following questions:

Considering all that all you have learned in this course how broadly can family be defined and how does that differ from you own understanding of family?
How does the diversity of family forms, goals, cultures and types, as discussed in this course, relate to your concept of family?
Consider how different cultures and communities in this country, and across the world define family, and the roles and expectations of family members. In the culture you selected to compare to the traditional American culture, are the expectations in the other culture supported by economic, political, historical factors. Please explain and provide examples.
Are there belief systems in place that support the values and practices demonstrated in their families. Please explain and provide examples.
Do you believe that the roles and expectations of family members in the selected culture problematic? Please explain.
Are there social factors that justify the roles and expectations in the selected culture?
If you were a researcher studying the family roles and expectations of the selected culture, what do you believe would be the most important thing to understand about this culture’s family structure?
If you could choose an attribute of the culture’s family structure that you could adopt in America, what would that attribute be and why?
Finally, say how you would interact with people who are in a family structure that challenges your own understanding of family, roles with in the family, and expectations.