Definition of Family

A family is a group of people who are related to each other by marriage and blood. Explore the changing dynamics of family structures in Canada and the impact of modernization, declining marriage rates, and immigration. Learn about foundational theories such as functionalist and feminist theories.

Definition of Family
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Abstract
A family is a group of people who are related to each other by marriage and blood.
Traditionally, a family is a group of people consisting of a male, a female and their children. But
recently, many new family structures are coming forward in the world. In Canada, the one person
household has dominated the household demographics and there is a rise in coupe without
children and the traditional structure of the extended family. It is due to rapid modernization,
declining marriage rate, immigration etcetera. Many foundational theories are governing the
family structure but with time their implication withered. However, functionalist and feminist
theories are still marginally applicable.
Keywords: Family, household demographics, functionalist theory, feminist theory

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Introduction
The word family is a modern English version of a Latin word ‘familia’ which is
household of servants and was originated from the Latin word ‘famulus’ which originally meant
‘servant’. A family is a group of people who share the same ancestors. It is a social group which
is related to each other by blood and marriage. Traditionally, a family is a basic unit of society
which includes two people (i.e. one male and one female) siring children and the practice goes
on. It traditionally consists of a male and a female counterpart bonded to each other by the rituals
and vows of matrimonial ceremony and their trueborn children. Additionally, children of
children are part of the same family due to the same ancestral base. Therefore, this family
structure contains at the very least three generations, that is, grandparent, married offspring and
grandchildren. This is the most common type of family in the world and known as Extended
Family (shown in Appendix A).
Although, due to rapid modernization the family structure is shortened up and includes
only two generations, which is, married parents and their children (shown in Appendix B). This
type of family structure is known as the Nuclear Family.
Family is a bond which people enjoy and a bind that glue them together with each other.
However, the definition of family has reached beyond the boundaries of blood and marriage; it
has surpassed the requirement of matrimony and the need to have a female and a male partner.
Today, different family structures have emerged in our society. Some of these include childless
couples, common law marriages or lone parents (shown in Appendix 3). The common law
marriage is an arrangement between the couple both heterosexual and homosexuals who do not
want to marry each other in the ceremonial settings. While the childless couples are those

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couples who are tied to each other by matrimony but do not sire a child. However, the lone
parents are of different concept, it includes divorced parents with their child’s custody and the
individual who want to have children without marriage. These new family structures have
changed the dynamics of society and family experience as a whole. Hence, many feel as if the
new family structure is wrong and unconventional but many agree with it and are living by it.
Experience of every family is different from each other and majorly depends upon the
size of the family and the values of the parents. Every interaction with family shapes our
personality, the way we think and the values inherited by it. Experience in a family counts as
lessons of life, a family is our first teacher about life. It can be said without a doubt that every
family structure faces a problem whether it is parental issues, childcare issues, a financial issue
or social issue. These issues play a crucial role in the development of a family (Browne , et al.,
2017). They often make a family stronger and sometimes, these issues break it apart.
However, the new family structures are more scrutinized for having these problems due
to their newness in society and new problems associated with them. The main problem faced by
them is the scrutinized glare of the society, due to a very rigid belief of what family should
consist of and a need to balance out the male and female part in children upbringing. Hence, new
family structures face additional difficulties in catering to their children, for example, a lone
parent has to make sure that their children do not feel that need of having a second parent just by
looking at the traditional families or the LGBT couples families are excluded (Few-Demo,
Humble, Curran, & Lloyd, 2016).Also, the social acceptance of these new structure influences
the family experience (Stewart, et al., 2016).

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2016 Census data- Canada
If we compare the statistical data of Canada in the year 2016, we will notice that one
person household stands at 28% of the total number of households in Canada surpassing the
couple with children household at 31% in 2001. While the couple with children stands has
decreased and now stands at 26% along with couples without children. The lone family structure
stands at 9%. Also, the most common extended family structure in the world constitutes 3% of
the total households in Canada which is still an increase from the 2001 census data (Canada,
2019).
Therefore, this data shows a diverging trend from our observation. The most common
family type in the world is increasing in Canada due to its immigrant population and their family
structures. Also, the new family structures share in the Canadian household data is increasing
(Mitchell, 2017). The one person household is at its highest in the last 150 years after
confederation. The lone family structure which was once dominated by the females is now being
dominated by male lone parents is also on high (Scotti , 2017). However, the share of couples
with children has decreased, while couples without children have increased.
Structural Changes
Several structural changes influence the family structures of a country. They may be
defined in terms of economic, cultural, and technological advancement of the country:

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Modernization
Rapid modernization is one of the major reason for the variations in Canada’s family
structure. People are becoming more inclined towards having a smaller family due to economic
bounds. The increase of women in the paid workforce can also be counted as one of the factors
(Agócs, 2014).
Increasing LGBTQ+ couples
Canada’s same-sex couple percentage has risen over 60% in the period 2006-2016. While
one-third of all the same-sex couples were married; only one-eighth of the couples have a child
living with them. This has affected the family structure and hence, created a new family
structure (Peter, Taylor, & Edkins, 2016).
Declining Marriage rate
The marriage rate in Canada is declining due to increasing work priorities and maintaining a
work-life balance. Also, couples can have a common law union which can be availed to couples who are
living together. Additionally, marriage creates a new bind on people which they do not want as more and
more people are getting commitment phobic. Therefore, people don’t want to add children in their
equations where they cannot even cater to child’s need and work freely (Ariizumi, Hu, & Schirle, 2015).
Increasing Divorce rate
The divorce rate in Canada is increasing which leads to an increase in both lone parent
family and blended families. Today, an individual can also have a child by the methods of
adoption and artificial pregnancy. This all leads to a change in household dynamics.

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Ageing Population
Canada's current population is ageing and it been forecasted that by 2040, the working
population will be above 65 years (Nagarajan, Teixeira, & Silva, 2016). This has led to a rise in
multi-generational family homes because young people do not want to leave their aged parents.
Also, it has been forecasted that by 2031, 60% of Canada’s population will be a minority
(Friesen, 2018).
Immigration
Immigration also constitutes a major factor in the Canadian population dynamics. As the
immigrants come from a different country they bring their own culture and trends with them.
Also, most of Canada's immigrants come from Asian countries; hence, the family structure
dominant in the Asian region that is extended family is also becoming a part of Canadian
demographics.
Foundational Theories
The theory is a statement used to shape the social census into an idea (Allen &
Henderson, 2016). The foundation theory that I find most apt to the situation is the functionalist
and the feminist theories of family. A functionalist has a positive view about society and believes
everybody in this society is here to fulfil their functions. While a feminist believes the family
structure has always been patriarchal and promotes equal rights in society.
Functionalist Theory
A functionalist believes a family structure is different for every culture and every
community. They see the good in society and hence see’s good in everything around them.

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According to them, people should have the freedom to choose whatever they want in their life
without society judging them for their choices. They believe every family structure in society has
a reason to be there, and a family should take decision thinking about the betterment of its
members and society as a whole. Also, they believe the basic functions of a family should be
reproducing and give teaching to their children social and educational values.
However, there is a change seen in society as people the couple without children stands at
par with couples with children.
Feminist Theory
The feminist theory sees a family as a patriarchal institution which has always been
dominated by men. Therefore, there are some negative emotions about the traditional family
structure of a nuclear family where children were influenced by the household roles of their
parents. Hence, the girl whose role model is a mother learns about the cooking, cleaning and
other household duties. While a boy who learns from his father do other manly duties. They are
shaped in how their roles should be. They feel the family structure is not good for women as it
binds them. But in today’s context, this has been reversed as there are more lone male parents
and more women employed in paid workforces (Guppy, Sakumoto, & Wilkes, 2019).
Today, we have covered a long distance from the origin of these theories. Some of them
still apply but some of them do not. The theories still provide a base to the studies but to further
continue the research one need to check the socio-cultural environment of the area of research.

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Conclusion
A family is a basic unit of society. It is often categorized as people related by blood and
marriage. The family structure in Canada is changing because of the steadily growing economic,
social and political position of the country. Also, Canada has relaxed the immigration policy
which further diversifies its population’s demographics. In the present time, the major household
demographics are categorized in one person household, a couple without children and couple
with children. The socio-cultural changes in Canada are due to the constant modernization
occurring in the country and its effects. Also, the decline in birth rate and marriage rate plays an
important part in the process. Although there are many fundamental theories which can explain
the family structure but they are not adaptable to work in the current situation.

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Bibliography
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University of Toronto Press.
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minority-populations-by-2031/article569072/

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APPENDICES
APPENDIX A
(studies)
APPENDIX B

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(Clark)
APPENDIX C
(ROBOCK, 2014)