Marriage and Family and the Extended Family Crisis

Globalization, defined as the worldwide interconnectedness evidenced in global movements of natural resources, trade goods, human labor, finance capital, information, and infectious diseases, has both positive and negative consequences. An example of the negative consequences of globalization can be observed among traditional extended family cultures. Present-day industrial societies negatively affect extended families in the following three ways: support for the extended family structure is lacking or absent; extended families strain to maintain their relationships with one another; and adverse circumstances may result.

Little support for the extended family structure is available in present-day industrial societies. According to the video titled Marriage and Family, "Globalization and urbanization undermine traditional family structures." The reason for this is that family members are forced to leave their homes in search of employment. For example, migrant workers must work far away from their family. They send their family a portion of their earnings which is barely enough for either the migrant worker or the family to survive. Because family members are forced to leave their homes in search of work and since the earnings are not enough to provide for large families, the independent nuclear family is promoted, thereby destroying the structure and traditions of the extended family. As evidenced by the video, little support for the extended family structure is available in present-day societies.

In addition to the lack of support for the extended family structure, a strain exists in maintaining family relationships in present-day industrial societies. Because individuals must leave their families in search of employment, family relationships are strained. One girl in the video shared how sad she was to be away from her family, especially her mother. And another woman explained that her relationship with her husband suffered resulting in him cheating on her, thereby ending the relationship with divorce and custody battles. Both women came from traditional extended families. In extended families, family relationships are stressed as having great importance. However, out of separation, family relationships are difficult to maintain. Maintaining family relationships in extended families is difficult in present-day industrial societies.

Moreover, adverse circumstances among extended families are common in present-day industrial societies. Examples of such adverse circumstances include low-income single parent households. As aforementioned, cheating between separated husbands and wives is common, leading to divorce and custody battles. Out of this come many single parent families struggling just to make it by. Often times such desperate times result in desperate measures. These may include going against one's moral principles such as those regarding sex. In the video, one woman said, "Day is for factory work and night is for prostitution work." This statement demonstrates the commonality among the people as it is a general statement that many abide to. As shown in the video, adverse circumstances may often cause individuals to turn away from their cultures, traditions, and moral principles. Adverse circumstances often result in extended families.

Present-day industrial societies negatively affect extended families in the following three ways: support for the extended family structure is lacking or absent; extended families strain to maintain their relationships with one another; and adverse circumstances may result. Little support for the extended family structure results in the promotion of the independent nuclear family, undermining the structures and traditions of the extended family. A strain in maintaining relationships in the extended family completely destroys the purpose of having an extended family that places importance on such relationships. And finally, adverse circumstances result from the breakdown of extended families which often cause individuals to turn away from, not only their culture and traditions, but the moral principles that guided their lives. Globalization, while good for some, can be harmful to others. The traditional extended family seems to suffer significantly. Overtime, people will adjust to the new world order. But as long as they still exist, individuals should seek to understand them as much as possible for a complete understanding of people includes the understanding of all people.

Sources:
William A. Haviland, Harald E.L. Prinns, Dana Walrath. Cultural Anthropology: The Human Challenge Video Series: Marriage and Family