FCCS
Chapter 1 Introduction
In the news…..
• The value of family dinners • https://www.today.com/video/today-anchors-share-why-family-dinner-
is-so-important-66869317931
• What are your thoughts on family dinners? Do they help with the development of family relationships?
• Imagine what it would be like if the who world were populated by people just like you (appearance, habits, thoughts, etc.).
• If diversity is desired: • Why are may people uncomfortable in the presence of other human beings who are different from
themselves? • Why are we, when in a group, most prone to seek the company of others just like ourselves? • If diversity is important and uniqueness is admirable, why are people uncomfortable when taken away
from familiar surroundings and friends and placed in situations where they know nobody? • Why is that people can understand and appreciate the uniqueness of themselves, but fail to appreciate
difference and uniqueness in others?
• United States includes people from all cultures. • Diversity can be seen as a strength or weakness.
• Ethnocentrism-belief that one’s own ethnicity and its characteristics are superior to those of other ethnic groups.
• Xenophobia – fear of a different culture; people with different skin color; a conversation in a different language
• What state do you think is most diverse? Least diverse?
Ethnicity
• A segment of a larger society whose members are thought, by themselves and/or others, to have a common origin and to share important segments of a common culture and who participate in shared activities in which the common origin and culture are significant.
• Race, religion, national origin, language, or some combination of these are core categories defining ethnicities for most people. (Gordon, 1964)
Family Ethnicity
• Thought of as a way people define themselves as part of a group through similarities in common ancestry and cultural heritage (race, religion, or national origin).
• Text covers most minority groups • Minority is used to describe groups who are
oppressed and do not share equally in the power base of society
• Ethnic group is a more appropriate term and used throughout the text
Culture and Values
• Ethnicity and culture are not always the same thing.
• Culture may encompass many different ethnicities. • American culture is a mixture of arts,
beliefs, customs, etc. & is created by many different ethnic groups.
• Culture is the sum total of ways of living, including values, beliefs, aesthetic standards, linguistic expression, patterns of thinking, behavioral norms, and styles of communication which a group of people has developed to assure its survival in a particular physical and human environment.
Culture and values
• Values and culture are linked and often shape each other.
• Values guide behavior and generally dictates what is good, proper, and moral behavior. • Culture • Family
• Exploring cultural diversity can assist with helping discover many values and behaviors that are different from your own. • Example: Some cultures value
interdependence versus independence.
Assimilation and Acculturation
Assimilation • Cultural absorption of a smaller ethnic
group into the main cultural body. • Usually occurs gradually as one group’s
set of cultural uniqueness is given up and the characteristics of the dominant culture are adopted (Kumabe, Nishida, & Hepworth, 1985)
Acculturation • The process of different cultures in
close contact adapting to each other. • Occurs when minority and
mainstream cultural characteristics are blended or exchanged (Kumabe, et al., 1985)
Prejudice and Racism
Prejudice • A judgement or opinion formed
without closely examining the person or group you are evaluating
Racism • Active expression of prejudice or
discrimination based on inherited characteristics of ethnicity or cultural group membership
• Prejudice and racism are still prevalent in the United States.
• Many ethnic groups featured in the course have been subjected to racial discrimination because of their skin color or other inherited differences.
The Search for Similarity
• Everyone is born into a culture whose values transmit to him or her a significant social identity. • Each person learns to perceive the world in specific ways • Our social identity can be thought of as a lens that colors how we see the world
• Example: Do you see the world the same way as your parents, siblings, or friends?
Stereotypes
• A stereotype is an oversimplified set of beliefs and generalizations about an individual or group of people.
• Consciously held- be aware that are you are basing judgement of an individual on generalizations from a group
• Descriptive – thoughts should be about describing people’s behavior rather than judging behavior.
• Accurate – faulty negative stereotypes about people in which you know nothing about or personally interacted.
• Modifiable – Be prepared to modify your thinking about individuals in groups based on new evidence you acquire.
Stereotypes
• Joel Parés, a U.S. Marine-turned-photographer, has created a photo series that seeks to question the ugly prejudices that many of us harbor, to one extent or another, against groups of people different from ourselves.
• Parés’ images at first present us with characters symbolic of the prejudices suffered by various groups based on their ethnicity, socio-economic status or sexual preference. Then, however, they show us the real people behind these often false characters – the violent gangster turns out to be a Harvard graduate and an exhausted gardener turns out to be the CEO of a Fortune 500 company.
Stanford Graduate Student Sammi Lee
Fortune 500 CEO Edgar Gonzalez
Harvard graduate Jefferson Moon
Pastor/Missionary Jack Johnson
Understanding without Judgement
• Because I do something it seems “normal” to me. • Easy to judge behavior that differs from oneself as wrong • Different behavior does not mean “abnormal” • Example: Polygamy
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EBdUpzfmY2A
Becoming a Pluralistic Society
• Pluralism – a social condition in which several distinct ethnic, religious, and racial communities live side by side willing to affirm each other’s dignity, ready to benefit from each other’s experiences, and quick to acknowledge each other’s contribution to the common welfare (Smith, 1989, p. 38).
• The United States is becoming more diverse • Important to understand and be knowledgeable about different ethnic groups
Announcements
• I am Poem • • The purpose of this assignment is to explore your self-identity through words. You should consider
your roles as a family member, college student, campus leader, individual, personality characteristics, etc. Your poem should be a minimum of 12 sentences and each line should begin with “I am”.
• • Examples include: • • Race: I am Native American. • Age: I am 18. • Favorite sports/hobbies. I am a Ravens fan. • Favorite shows/music. I am a fan of R & B Music and ESPN. • Family member: I am an aunt, sister, daughter, and friend. • Career Goals: I am determined to pursue a career in Engineering. • Personality/character traits: I am a friendly, kind, and smart. • Creativity: I am as unique as a unicorn…… • • • Remember to be creative and include various aspects of who you are. Your “I am” poem should be
submitted in Blackboard by the due date listed on the course calendar.
FCCS 102 Individual, Family & Community Important Concepts Directions: Please study these terms.
1. Ethnocentrism—the belief that one’s own ethnicity and its characteristics are superior to those of another ethnic group
2. Xenophobia—fear or hatred of foreigners or strangers
3. Ethnicity—common ancestry and social and cultural heritage that is passed down from
generation to generation
4. Family Ethnicity—the way in which a family defines itself in terms of common ancestry and social and cultural heritage (race, religion, or national origin)
5. Assimilation—the process in which a smaller ethnic group adopts the characteristics of a
dominant culture and loses its original identity.
6. Acculturation—the process of adapting to patterns of a different culture
7. Prejudice—a judgment or opinion formed without closely examining the person or group you are evaluating
8. Racism—an active expression of prejudice or discrimination based on inherited
characteristics of ethnicity or cultural group membership
9. Discrimination—making a distinction in favor of or against a person on the basis of prejudice
10. Social Identity—the way an individual perceives the world based on social, physical,
economic, and cultural characteristics.
11. Stereotype---an oversimplified set of beliefs and generalization about an individual or group of people
12. Pluralism---a social condition in which several distinct ethnic, religious, and racial
communities live in harmony and appreciate one another’s similarities and differences
13. Rite of passage---a ceremonial or formal observance or procedure in accordance with proscribed rules or customs.
14. Lineality—a direct lines of descent or kinship from an ancestor
15. Consanguine-- a relationship formed by common bloodlines
16. Conjugal--- a relationship formed through marriage
Native America Families Chapter 2
Discussion
´ What did you learn in your previous courses in high school/college about Native Americans?
´ Should sports teams consider changing their mascot from names that may offend Native Americans?
Historical and Cultural Background ´ Native American tribes flourished long
before the invasion of the Americas by European immigrants.
´ Each Native American tribes have their own: ´ Distinct language ´ Spiritual belief system ´ History
´ *each passed on from generation to generation sometimes in written language
´ Creation stories document the existence of Native Americans in the Americas.
´ The natural environment played a major role in Native American religions, philosophies, and value systems.
´ Contact with other tribes through trade led to the realization that most Native Americans shared common values:
´ Respect for the environment
´ Sharing of resources
´ Generosity
Reservations
´ Europeans established governments and stole territory and institutionalized a series of barriers to prevent Native Americans from continuing their traditions.
´ U.S. Government uprooted Native Americans from the primary source of their cultural identity – the natural environment and forced them into migrating to distant reservations ´ Indian Removal Act
´ Despite changes Tribal elders have worked to preserve their peoples’ distinctive heritage by passing down language, traditions, stories, and oral histories from generation to generation.
Forced Migration
´ Entire tribes were forced to move from cultural homelands they had inhabited for thousands of years to tracts of land designated by the invaders to serve as reservations
´ Bleak and inhospitable areas
´ Enslavement
´ Government sponsored boarding school
´ Ability to earn a living denied; forced into dependence on the federal government
Trail of tears
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3rJr4kg DdqU&feature=related
Reservations
Former Current
Traditional and Emerging Family Systems ´ The characteristic of Native American Families are extremely diverse.
´ Available literature on normative families is light because researchers tend to focus on problems in human behavior.
´ Stereotypes/community problems: Alcohol abuse, impoverished; Ignornat
´ Diversity within the Native American community takes many forms.
´ Geographic and cultural differences
´ Members of tribes, bands, clans
´ Rural and urban areas (reservations)
´ Most are Patrilineal (family structure); some still hold important lineage through the mother
Family Systems Terms
´ Kinship systems – varies by tribe but considers family membership the most important membership.
´ Conjugal – related by marriage
´ Consanguineal – related by blood
´ Fictive Kin – support system provided by non-relatives (viewed as family)
Household Size and Composition
´ Native American households are fairly small.
´ Economic limitations
´ Lack of living space
´ More likely to take in/support community members, extended family, fictive kin
´ Elders often take in young single parents
Socialization of Children
´ Socialization in Native American families is similar to traditional American culture. ´ Respect for elders
´ Treasuring children
´ Strong family bonds
´ Gender Roles ´ Males – warrior; works with hands (hunting, fishing, building etc.); Because of
tradition some males feel families do not respect college education; teamwork and commitment rather than competition
´ Females – socialized to be wives, mothers, and career women; primary responsibility for family including elders; currently encouraged to pursue education and be leaders
cradleboard ´ Parents and the community have
tremendous respect for children.
´ Cradleboards are used to prop up babies so they can see the people around them and be on a more even level with the rest of the household.
´ Children play independently and parent foster creativity helping to boost their confidence.
´ Parenting not always gender specific; taught that their may be different roles but both are respected for their contributions to the family.
https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=gO9aDBmKhUA
Intimate Relationships
´ Assimilation into mainstream Western culture has changed courtship and marriage rituals.
´ In most native American communities dating begins in adolescence.
´ In previous generations a young man had to demonstrate he was prepared for marriage by accumulating sufficient goods or resources to support a family before being granted permission to marry by the elders.
´ Today young people have more freedom to choose when they will marry.
Intimate Relationships
´ Many native Americans marry in traditional American style with a church service, wedding cake, etc. Others celebrate their union with more traditions. The majority will merge both.
´ Mate selection is impacted by images presented in society.
´ Increased numbers of intermarriages.
´ Merging of cultures can be difficult.
´ Research conducted on impact of intermarriage, education, socioeconomic status, etc. on divorce rate.
´ Boarding schools impacted cultural values and traditions. ´ Those who attended boarding schools
are more likely to intermarry.
´ Tribal colleges – focus on education, health, law, and social service programs.
Work Relationships and the family
´ Dual income households
´ Require a second income to maintain middle class status
´ Share household tasks and child care responsibilities
´ Neighbors and family members often assist with child care
´ Income varies among he community
´ Majority work
Life cycle transitions
´ About half of native American families consists of two parent biological families (Reddy, 1993).
´ Life cycle transitions such as divorce, single parenthood, and remarriage occur at similar or greater rates than the national average.
´ Native American communities honor elderly but have smaller numbers than other groups.
´ Death viewed as “going over to the other side”. Few think of it as an ending but as another transition of the life cycle.
´ Practice at making decisions based on the interest and wishes of the three preceding generation, one’s present generation, and the three succeeding generations. “What would great grandparent do?”
Family strengths and challenges
´ After enslaving native Americans and seizing their land the federal government enforced a blood quantum – this insured that the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) could monitor the rules that restricted individuals with less than a certain percentage of native American heritage to benefit from federal programs designed to aid this community.
´ 1950s and 60s saw large scale migration and relocation to urban areas where the government promised access to training and jobs ´ Many returned to reservations by the 70s frustrated by pressure to assimilate
´ Primary concerns today surround maintaining heritage and cultural traditions
´ Poverty, domestic violence, drug and alcohol abuse ´ Attempts to maintain culture while embracing change.
Misconceptions and Stereotypes
´ “Native Americans do not exist in the U.S.” – 510 federally recognized tribes; 1.5-2 million
´ Childlike, need to be under the care of the Government; less civilized – ploy to seize control of land and resources
´ Alcoholics – higher than national rates however vast majority are not
´ No feelings or emotions – taken a toll on self-esteem in Native American communities
American Families of African Descent
Chapter 3
Overview
u African American population = 36 million or 13% of the U.S. Population
u Population has increased significantly since the 1790 census (760,000).
u Vast majority (about 96%) are native born
u Roots go back as much 10 generations
u Native language – English
u Main Religion – Christianity
u Considered one of the most acculturated racial minorities in America.
u Diversity among African Americans
u Immigrants coming from Africa, Haiti, Jamaica, Trinidad, & other west Indian countries
u Economically, in recent decades, African Americans have experienced increased prosperity and education
u Diverse in family structure
u Fictive kin often included
u Close extended family relationships
Historical and Cultural Background
u Most social science descriptions of African American families have been comparative.
u AA families have not been viewed constructively.
u Primarily the focus is on lower-class family formation, lifestyles, and problem behaviors
u Because of the unique experiences of AA in the USA a special approach is needed when studying these families.
u Andrew Billingsly – Black Families in White America (1968)
u Highlighted strengths in marital relationships, parental performance
Historical and Cultural Background
u Research findings (since the 1970’s) have focused on:
u Family organization/structure
u Parent-child relationships
u Parental expectations
u Patterns of control
u Husband-wife interaction/relationships
u Support system (kin)
u Life-cycle episodes
u Intergenerational continuity
u Family and Cultural Heritage
u Family rites and rituals
u Men were head of clans, tribal villages, and families
u Religious ceremonies
u Characterized the way of life before arrival in Americas
u Especially important were ancestor worship and the belief in a “Spirit world”
u African American families cannot be logically described nor understood without exploring their unique background in the United States (displaced Africans – new surroundings contributed to changes in family organization, values, parenting, etc.
Slave Legacy
u African American families have a social past that differs from other ethnic groups
u Harsh and brutal experience of violent uprooting and being placed in captivity molded the slave identity and a transition to domestic service
u Estimates vary of the number of Africans who were brought and sold in the U.S., South America, West Indies, etc.
u 10-20 million
u Brought to harvest crops, build, and work on sugar and tobacco plantations.
u Indentured servants - men and women who signed a contract by which they agreed to work for a certain number of years in exchange for transportation to Virginia and, once they arrived, food, clothing, and shelter
u Shipped under inhumane conditions
u Represented several different cultures (Angola, Congo Basin) – tribal groups were sought for their special skills.
u The first Africans arrived in Jamestown, Virginia in 1619
u https://wtvr.com/2019/08/24/1619-anniversary-a-commemoration-of-slaves-journey- 400-years-later/
u https://www.cnn.com/videos/us/2019/08/25/400-anniversary-arrival-captured-african- slaves-chen-pkg-ndwknd-vpx.cnn
u Most free African Americans resided in the North.
u Entrepreneurs, artisans, landowners, labors
u 8-12 % of Black population
u Slavery was institutionalized in other countries but only reached widespread prominence in the United States until the Emancipation proclamation and civil war.
u Slavery did not completely crush family bonds but reinforced close bonds that existed between mother and child in African society
u The kinship connections between African slaves and European slaveholders created a divisive prestige system among African Americans based on color.
u Colorism is still prevalent in the African American community.
u Slaves carried the names of their owners
u Linkages between slaves ad those who owned, sold them prevailed throughout slave communities in the south.
u SES and special privileges were based on kinship connections
u Example: Sally Hemmings
u With the reconstruction of the U.S. economy as it evolved from agricultural to industrial, the norm of patriarchy endured.
u Mother, daughters, grandmothers, and aunts retained the traditional housekeeping and caretaking roles.
u Following the termination of slavery, many African American women took on the role of domestic workers in European American homes.
u Due to lack of education, most male and female African Americans were limited in occupational options.
u Sharecroppers
Traditional and Emerging Family Systems
u Gendered-role behaviors – offer insight into the characteristics of a group of people that has a defined and conventional division of labor
u Gender-role training and status distinctions within the family mirror an African cultural past
u African American family has thrived as an essential communal network of sharing, support, protection, emotional reinforcement, and adaptation to the regularity of change.
u Reconstruction, Jim Crowism, and civil rights era – African Americans faced discrimination & racial barriers.
u Schools
u Transportation
u Businesses
u Employment
u Hindered political participation
African American households
u Marriage has declined.
u 1975 - 87% of Blacks in their early 30’s married
u 1990- 61%
u Mid 90’s – 48% of AA households headed by women
u Currently – numbers continue to decline; 70% of AA children live in single parent households
u Suggested that in the future that about ¾ will marry at some point
u Fertility rates have dropped
u Marriage postponement
u Economic disparities
Families in Poverty
u In the U.S. poverty is systemic and thus predictably high among African Americans. Nearly 1/3 of these families were below the poverty level (low income is a separate category)
u Perpetual unemployment
u Under employment
u Lack of access to adequate housing
u Increase in divorce rate
u Cultural changes
u Decline in two-parent households
u Lack of credit/financial management
Non-Poor working class
u Differ in composition and functioning then those families that are below the poverty
u Employment of two partners in a household is necessary and improves the financial situation of the family.
u Generally these families do not have the educational attainment of middle and upper class families.
u Extended family may assist with financial and emotional support.
Middle Class
u More likely to be married and have come from intact nuclear families
u Increased opportunity for higher education and college training has shifted more African Americans into middle class
u Middle class families tend to live in suburban areas, participate in church activities and social clubs, and volunteer in community organizations.
u Many will care and provide for elderly relatives.
u Characterized by:
u Sufficient family income
u Home Ownership
u Conformity to American norms of morality
u Close supervision of children
u Dual employment of both partners
u At least one spouse with a college education
u A belief in upward mobility
u Close attachment to and involvement with their children’s goals and lives
u Expectation that children will look to their parents as role models.
Established Upper Class
u Number of upper class is small but growing.
u This group has different family structures, values, behaviors, and cultures than those of poor or working class.
u Dual career marriages of college educated partners are frequent in this class
u Most have children and rules are strictly outlined.
u Characteristics of the group:
u Inherited wealth
u Home Ownership (typically in racially diverse suburban neighborhoods)
u History of intergenerational family stability
u Background with both partners having been born into middle or upper class families
u Active in organizational memberships such as churches, Greek organizations, etc.
Family Strengths and Challenges
u 20th century – improvements in African American families
u Life Expectancy increased
u Infant and adult mortality rates have dropped
u Substandard housing and poverty decreased
u African American families and communities need to be understood in the context of their unique history in the U. S. that represents a far different history than that of any other ethnic group in America (Borum, 2007, p. 119).
u More diversity is needed across social class
Strengths
u Resiliency
u Strong sense of communalism
u Extensive extended and fictive kin networks
u Close knit communities
u Informal adoption – taking in children for caregiving
u Other mothering
u Black Churches/Religion
Chapter 4 Families of Mexican Origin
Overview of Latino Families
u Currently the largest ethnic-minority group in U.S.
u 3 main groups are:
u Mexican Americans – 66.9% (most recent numbers)
u Cuban – 3.7%
u Puerto Ricans 8.6%
u Many other nationalities from central and south America have arrived in the last few decades. 20.8%
u The fastest growing group in the U.S. as a whole.
u Mexican Americans are distinguished from other Hispanics by their cultures long established roots in the United States – dates back to 1600s
u Hispanics – term used by U.S. Government to categorize a large homogenous group that includes people of Spanish/Latin origin or background.
u Research tends to focus on the group collectively
u Failed to address differences in values, beliefs, behaviors, and patterns of interaction (fostered stereotypes)
u Mexican American culture
u High rates of family formation, extended family, and close kinship ties
u Familialism – a collective term for strong and persistent family orientation, widespread and highly integrated extended kinship systems, and a consistent preference for relying on the extended family for support
u Cultural pattern handed down through generations
u Response to historical conditions of economic deprivation
u Positive form of social organization that facilitates adaptation to marginal existence (Hoppe & Heller, 1997)
u Chain migration – kin help each other find housing and employment
u Religion has been central in Mexican families
u Religiosity – extreme religiousness is often formed throughout the process of assimilation and adaptation
u Religious instruction is generally the responsibility of women within the family
u Each subgroup of Hispanics has a distinct form of church in the homeland.
u Majority of Mexican and Mexican-origin individuals are Catholic
Curanderos – folk healers, use the forces of good and evil to remedy just about any human ailment.
u Curanderismo
Immigration Experience
u Wall issue (current issue) - https://www.newsweek.com/donald-trump- border-wall-schools-military-funds-1457962
u Historically U.S. welcomed Mexicans (cheaper labor costs)
u Appeared in America before other Hispanics
u Often fled the country during unrest
u Arrived in large numbers after WWII
u Immigration experiences have ranged from those who were original settlers to those who migrated and had children
u 1920s – No restrictions on Mexican immigration until 1920 = increase in Mexican American population. u Anglo –American opinion of Mexicans was lower than before the revolution; taken out on
Mexicans living in the United States; labor used for agricultural purposes
u 1930’s – Great Depression, jobs were scarce; Immigration halted by U.S. Government; massive deportation of Illegal aliens or anyone who appeared illegal
u 1940s – Bracero program recruited Mexicans to work in U.S. to meet a need created by war; Braceros (manual laborers) inspired other Mexicans to migrate to the United States – many worked in agriculture and railroad camps
u 1950s – post war turmoil due to U.S. recession and deportation
Traditional and Emerging Family Systems
Household Composition u Many of Mexican decent are likely to live
with extended family
u La familia – the greater family
u Average household tends to be larger
u Higher fertility
u Socioeconomic status
u Lower levels of education
u Strong religious affiliation
u Strong belief in consanguineal relationships
Socialization of Children u Child centered - “seen not heard”
u Parents tent to be permissive
u Boys (more aggressive and behavior generally tolerated) and girls (feminine less status than males) raised differently
u Adolescence – boys more freedom; girls restricted
u Skin tone and color can affect socialization process of child
Relationships u Dating is far less casual than other
Hispanic subgroups and is expected to precede marriage.
u Dating involves meeting the family and interacting at social gatherings where there are opportunities to converse with family members
u Marriage is expected and is the norm; more likely to be married and to marry younger than the general population (Average is 23 for me, 21 for women)
u Endogamy or marriage within the same ethnic group is the norm
u Exogamy or out marriage is which Mexicans marry non Mexicans is low
Relationships
u In traditional Mexican culture, the practice of using an intermediary to ask for a women’s hand in marriage was common.
u Permission to have a woman’s hand in marriage is asked of the father
u Parents place great emphasis on moral character than economic status.
u Brief engagement à wedding date
u Expected marry in a church (generally catholic) because it is considered an essential foundation for marriage.
u Padrinos (advisors) – main sponsors to the bride and groom during and after the wedding
u Weddings are generally small
u Recent research indicates relationships are more egalitarian after marriage than in previous generations
Work and family
u The income level of Hispanics in the early 1990’s (textbook) was lower than other dual income families in other ethnic groups. It is currently above African Americans.
u Poverty rates among married Hispanics is triple those of European Americans.
u Cuban Americans have higher education and therefore higher income than other subgroups of Hispanics.
u Greater number of working women
u Poverty rates are high
u Migrant worker – a person who is employed at a job temporarily or seasonally
u Not always farmers but a large majority involve farm work
u May experience long periods of unemployment
u Working conditions can be grueling
Homeownership by Race
u Non-Hispanic White – 74.5%
u Hispanic – 48.2%
u African American – 47.3%
u Asian/Pacific Islander – 54.7%
u American Indian/Alaskan Native – 54.6%
Life Cycle Transitions
u Marriage is the norm for individuals
u 57.7% are married
u Divorce rates are lower (than generally population and other Hispanics)
u Family is considered a particularly important institution
u Believe that the individual should sacrifice everything for the family (Interdependence)
u Increase in Hispanic elderly
u Family support but most strive for self-reliance
Family Strengths and Challenges
u Extended family is a mainstay in Mexican origin families
u Mexican-origin families have an extended family structure
u Parentesco – concept of family; helps build networks of support and establish a sense of community
u Compadrazgo – godparents; moral obligation to act as a guardian, provide financial assistance in times of need, and substitute as parents in the event of death
u Formed through baptism and confirmation ceremonies in the church
u Confianza – trust; provides the foundation of reciprocity
u Parental relationship is maintained throughout life and extends beyond the child.
u Family is viewed as more important than the individual
u Traditional Mexican life includes family, religious, and community obligations.
u California Proposition 187 – 1994 ballot initiative to establish a state-run citizenship screening system and prohibit illegal immigrants from using non- emergency health care, public education, and other services in the State of California.
u In September 2014, California passed a bill, SB 396, that removes those sections from California's education, health and safety, and welfare codes, as a symbolic act after the repeal of Prop.187.
u Between 1995 and 2004 the following states passed similar ballot initiatives or laws: Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Nevada, New Mexico, New York, Oklahoma and Texas.
Misconceptions and Stereotypes
u Nuclear family household is preferred to extended family
u Extended family household is rooted in economic need
u Learning English language
u Machismo – in American culture based on the belief that the male is aggressive and accountable only to himself; male dominance over women
u Mexican culture based on positive family structure
Mormon American Families
Chapter 5
Overview
u Population
u 1820 – 0 (on record)
u 1990’s – 4.5 million
u Education - BYU
Overview
u Mormon is another name for a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.
u “The Mormon church did not become either a denomination or an established sect….they became a people.” (O’Dea, 1966)
u Mormon Americans as a group are a special case within the spectrum of multicultural American families.
u Beginning with the earliest Mormon missionary efforts in Canada in the 1830’s, religious converts from all over the world migrated to the U.S. and have been socialized into the Mormon community.
u Thus when considering the Mormon family we must consider a double- or multiple-origin pattern and the existence of cultural subgroups.
u Mormon Icelandic Americans
u Mormon Japanese Americans
u Mormon Ghanaian Americans
u Mormon Bolivian Americans
u Etc.
u The story of Mormonism began in the 1820’s, with a series of revelations from God and visitations of angelic beings to Joseph Smith, Jr.
u Book of Mormon published in 1829
u Mormon religion is based on the belief in the reality of history and consequently the virtue and necessity of a continuing revelation of God’s will to the community of believers as well as individuals.
Plural Marriage
u Polygyny – having more than one wife at the same time
u Polygamy – having more than one husband or wife at the same time
u Mormon practice was polygyny because women were not allowed to have more than one husband
u 1856 Election – Republican agenda was to end slavery and polygamy
Migration and Immigration
u 1844 - Assassination of Joseph Smith
u Political pressure for the removal of the Mormon population increased
u 1846 – evacuations begin and refugees migrate to Mexico (now Utah)
u Did move as individual families who happened to migrate together
u They conspicuously and explicitly united and organized their families as “Camps of Israel”
u Walked and pulled their belonging in handcarts
u Having been driven from their homes and cities, Mormon Americans were sensitive to the face that Native Americans had legitimate claim to the land they occupied.
u They negotiated to purchase the land followed a formal policy to “feed Native Americans, not fight them”
u Chain migration – was common to later Mormon experiences, in which previous migrants facilitated the migration and settlement of subsequent individuals and family members
Traditional and Emerging Family Systems
u Understanding Mormon families requires some grasp of their most important doctrines or revealed teachings.
u Most important belief concerning families is they are eternal
u Not considered “until death due us part” but are “sealed together” or “married for time and all eternity”
u Heaven, for Mormons, is an eternally bonded or sealed extended family that includes all of the human family who accept union with the heavenly father.
u Eternal progression – from childhood or conversion, Mormons are taught that perfecting individuals with the context of family is the highest goal, and that “no other success can compensate for failure in the home”
Household Size and Composition
u High Birth Rate
u More likely to have larger families
u Generally twice the national average
u Overall fertility rate not related to SES or education level as with the general population
u Religiosity – family size greater for practicing Mormons
Household Size and Composition
u Parenthood, like marriage, is a critical component of spiritual development.
u Bringing children into the world is seen as both a oy and a responsibility
u Mormons are taught that worthy parents and children will continue to associate as a family in the next life.
u Extended kinship network goes beyond those families members who are currently living
u Genealogy – family history
u Mormons have one of the most extensive libraries on record
Socialization of Children
u Mormon Church encourages commitment from its young people.
u Mormon youth are viewed as the future leaders of the church.
u Intergenerational transmission of beliefs and values is seen as important to both growth and the success of the church.
u Most important of the Lord’s work is raising children
u More challenging in the contemporary world
u Mormon youth face social pressures
u Expected to abstain from smoking, drinking, and drug use
u Avoid all forms of premarital sexual behavior
u Contribute 10% of income to the church
u Spend 2 years in missionary work
u Marry in the temple
Socialization of Children
u Mormon emphasis on family does not translate into more frequent individual contact with their children
u Demands of larger family size
u Less frequent individual contact with activities such as homework and having private talks
u Rites of passage – several age-graded
u Age 8 – age of accountability and eligible for baptism
u Age 12 – enter into gender-segregated programs
u Age 19, 21 – Missionary work required
u https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V- IaoBHJ3m0
Relationships u Sexual relationships forbidden outside of marriage.
u Chastity should be the dominant virtue among young people.
u Less approving of cohabitation.
u Lack of sexual education for teens/youth.
u Dating practices are conservative
u Not allowed to date until at least 16
u Courtship
u If marriage considered the parents get involved.
u Marriage occurs at an earlier age than the national average
u Traditionally families are patriarchal
u Men expected to be a leader, provider and role model
u Women expected to be a mother, teacher, and role model
Work and Family Relationships
u In recent years, church leaders have been less likely to discourage women’s participation in the labor force
u Despite changes, leaders of the Mormon church continue to emphasize a woman’s fundamental responsibility to bear and raise children.
u Generally women who “choose” to work have to justify their decision & are encouraged to delay entering the workforce until children are older.
u Increased numbers of women working (pray as a family and seek God’s approval)
u Couples are more egalitarian
u Larger families sometime contribute to the need for both parents to work
u Average income is slightly above the general population
u Education emphasized
u Free Agency – sense of responsibility for personal choices, actions, and consequences.
Life-cycle transitions
u Mormon church explicitly discourages divorce.
u Relatively few divorces are deemed justifiable.
u Parents are reminded of “suffering” experienced by children.
u Divorces are permitted.
u Families ties have led to lower rates of marital dissolution compared to the national population.
u Mormons married a civil ceremony are 5 to 6 times more likely to divorce than those with temple weddings.
u Those who divorce may experience economic and personal difficulties
u Single parent households make about 5%
u 33% of Mormon children will spend some time in a single parent household or blended family.
u Low single parent rates because of high rate of remarriage.
Family Strengths and Challenges
u Active commitment to the gospel of Jesus Christ
u A positive human environment
u Clear communication patterns
u Affectionate interactions.
u Strong marital relations.
u Firm but fair discipline
u Support of education
u A strong work ethic.
u Extended kin relationships
u Unity during adversity.
Misconceptions and Stereotypes
u Polygamy – plural marriage should be considered in historical context
u Vast majority of Mormon Americans are monogamous (even when it was legal it was still a small portion – 70% had 2 wives, 21% had 3, 9% had four or more)
u They are not Christians