Culture In Family

2189 Words9 Pages
Family Roles within Cultures Dustin R. Johnson Anthropology 101 Rachel Burke July 25, 2010 Introduction Many different cultures celebrate diversity and universal traditions. We know that we share certain traditions with other cultures as well as different traditions from other cultures. Not every culture knows the nuclear family that is prominent in the United States. Even now in the United States, the family has been redefined. Each country will be explained in terms of evolution over the years. It is the purpose of this piece to examine the family make-up in the United States, Japan, and Mexico. Each nation’s family roles will be examined and interpreted in comparison with one another. The piece will inform how family roles in all three countries have evolved over time. Upon completion, this piece will evaluate the current condition of family in the United States. Gone is the classic Ward and June Clever family model of yesterday. How is family defined among different cultures in today’s world? The term nuclear family is a term of the past, and a new model has emerged among the increased globalization that we see today. Family is defined differently depending on the culture one associates the term with. Within in different cultures are different roles for each family member as well. Perhaps some of the proudest family roles come from the Japanese, American, and Mexican cultures. While family roles are similar among these three cultures, the family roles and interpretations are different, due to the evolution of then nuclear family. According to Barbara Miller, the nuclear family defined refers a domestic unit containing one adult couple married or partners, with or without children (2007 p. 218). As globalization continues to change the physical make up of modern society, so does the cultural make up of the
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