Dr. Jane Granskog

Material Covered: , Graburn (Firth, Schneider & Homans, Bott, Schneider, Davila); Wagner & Schaffer; Tanner; material from Lindsey, Geile, and Gurian & Gurian, Ch. 3 on the transformation of the modern family; Mindel et. al., Ch. 1,2,3,5,7,8,9,11,12,13,15,16; Selby.

A. Italian American & Irish Catholic - major characteristics of family (la famiglia; stem family); significant values; nature & degree of assimilation - contrasts between the two.

B. Asian American - general characteristics of Japanese families (IE = traditional family) and significant values (amae, enryo); acculturation processes as compared to other ethnic groups. Characteristics of Chinese-Americans, and Vietnamese-Americans.

C. Mexican American, Cuban American & Puerto Rican - stereotypes v.s. reality; know concepts of machismo & marianismo (different evaluations), personalismo; values and characteristics of traditional vs "modern" family - importance of familism, diversity of forms, biculturalism; major changes taking place; be able to contrast characteristics w/ other family types.

D. Zapotec - peasant Indian society (Mexico); values - trust, humility, respect v.s. institutionalized envy; use of kinship as an adaptive strategy, deviant = one w/ defective kin ties; be familiar w/ general features of social structure; importance of compadrazgo; note inversion of "norms" in behavior. Also note relevance of ideal vs real regarding ideology of male dominance

E. Black Families - stereotypes v.s. reality; concept of domestic network, consanguinal based household, importance of "relatives" in adaptive strategies; importance of the concept of matrifocality (structural, cultural, and affective centrality of the role of MOTHER that is legitimate in society - found in a variety of societies); current trends re: marriage, role relationships w/in the family, etc.

F. Native American - significance of diverse forms; general characteristics re: importance of kin etc. prior to contact; major types of societies (defined in terms of their ecological adaptation & correspondent social organization/kinship structure); general awareness of problems faced by American Indian families re: interaction w/ larger society; problems in defining modern American Indian family -- study in San Francisco Bay area (traditional, transitional, bicultural, marginal), urban/rural differences.

II. SUMMARY - Be able to summarize major characteristics of ethnic families in the U.S. in general as discussed in class. Be familiar with the explanation of positive dependency networks using sample cases from Gurian & Gurian; be able to contrast them w/ that of Anglos. Also be able to discuss case material presented in films - Dadi's Family & Four Families.

relatives defined by the "Order of Law" vs the "Order of Blood" (give examples)

characteristics of positive dependency networks & balanced dependency (give examples)

positive and negative chosen families; enmeshed vs disengaged families; concept of matrifocality, social networks

dialectical, structural, v.s. processual approaches to the study of kinship

domestic network; matrifocality; machismo, marianismo, personalismo, hijas de crianza

characteristics of S. Italian family, la famiglia; Irish American family - stem family, pattern of migration

Japanese American family - ie (household), issei, nisei, sansei, enryo, amae - dependency culture

characteristics of Vietnamese family, consequences of recent migration;

key values among Zapotec (trust, humility, respect vs envy) & significance

features of traditional Mexican-American family; Cuban-American family (biculturalism) & Puerto Rican family

characteristics of Black American family including myths/stereotypes

difference between Native American Indians & European cultures; variation in N. American Indian cultures; current processes among N. American Indians (rural/urban differences)

independence complex and consequences for individuals; characteristics of the modern ethnic family

1. One of the major emphases in this course has been on the interpretation and utilization of kinship principles by different societies in different settings. Using any TWO cases, (Black, Mexican-American, Zapotec etc.), illustrate: (1) how kinship may be used in societies of varying complexity; and (2) its relative importance in defining sets of relationships within a given society.

2. Discuss the stereotypes of at least THREE types of family (e.g., Black, Mexican-American, Anglo, Italian, etc.) and how they contrast with the realities of everyday family life. In particular, what are the significant problems researchers have had in defining and characterizing particular family types? Be sure to include what you would consider to be a "good" description of each family type discussed.

3. You have just been given the opportunity to spend three months with a family in a culture of your own choosing (eg., Japanese, Vietnamese, Zapotec, etc.). About three weeks after your arrival, one night after dinner, they ask you about your family. What do you tell them? (Discuss the major similarities and differences between your family and theirs, including discussion of positive dependency networks where relevant.)

4. One of the significant issues that we have addressed concerns the role that social networks play in our lives. Gurian and Gurian discuss positive dependency networks. Lindsey discusses networks as another form of family. Bott looks at networks in terms of their impact on family structure and role relations between husbands and wives. Schaffer and Wagner discuss the degree to which women from different ethnic groups employ networks as a strategy for survival. Because of your knowledge in this area, you have been asked to give a presentation at the Women's Day Symposium on "The Role of Social Networks in Our Lives". Based on your readings and class discussion of social networks as well as your own experiences (i.e., your network of friends and family), what do you tell them?

5. Considerable attention has been given this quarter to discussion of the significance of family structure (in relation to other groups within society) as well as role relations within the family in terms of their impact upon the individual and her/his sense of identity. John Bradshaw, among others, has commented that 97% or more of American families are dysfunctional to varying degrees; the significance of their dysfunctional character is measured by the impact that such families have had on individuals and the issues they face as adults. Gurian and Gurian likewise point this out in their discussion of the Independence Complex. Cohen deals with this issue as well in his discussion of the core incest taboo and the functioning of boundary maintenance groups. Based on your readings and class discussion, what do you consider to be the significance of the family (in terms of structure and role relations within it) in terms of its impact upon an individual's identity? What do you perceive to be dysfunctional features (in terms of consequences for individuals) of the "American" family that these authors are describing? Be sure to define your terms and support your assertions with case examples from the readings and/or your own personal experiences.