Social Institutions UNIT 4

Objectives

In this chapter, you are expected to:

• understand the concept of social institution;
• be familiarized with different social institutions, prospects,
issues and challenges;
• relate these institutions to your life experiences
The Family, Marriage,
LESSON 1
and Kinship
Objectives
In this lesson, you are expected to:
• Know what are concepts of Family, Marriage and Kinship;
• Explain the functions of family
• Relate these concepts to your personal experiences; and
• Identify issues related to these concepts
FAMILY
“There is no single correct definition of what family is”
(Fine, 1993).

Family-“A group of
people who have a
common residence
and/or relationship,
and who share
economic and
reproductive ties”
(Morris, 2012)
 The United Nations defines family as any of the following:
a. A married couple without children,
b. A married couple with one or more unmarried children,
c. A father with one or more unmarried children or
d. A mother with one or more unmarried children.

Biological component Functional component Residential component

Presence of parents Taking care of the Should be living in the
(married or not) and a child, economic same household
child support
Several Kinds of Families
Nuclear Family- families that are composed of parents and
children
Extended Family- composed of a nuclear family and other
relatives such as grandparents, cousins and nephews.
Reconstituted Family- composed of spouses and their
children from previous marriage.
The family is considered as the basic unit of society. As a unit, it
performs several functions necessary for the continuation and
development of the society. It is primarily concern for:
(1) Biological reproduction
(2) Basic agent for developing socialization of children
(3) Introduction of basic societal functions such as division of
labor and observation of respect for hierarchy in authority
(4) The nurturing of children to become responsible adults
Kinship
Kinship is defined as relations among individuals linked
by blood or marriage ties.

a. Unilineal rules- The affiliation of an individual to one

sex only. It can be an affiliation to either males
(patrilineal decent) or females (matrilineal decent)..

b. Ambilineal rules- The affiliation of an individual to

either father’s side or mother’s side. An individual can
choose which side he/she wants to be affiliated.

c. Double decent rules- It refers to the society where

patrilineal and matrilineal decent are both
recognized. For some purposes, an individual
affiliates with the patrilineal side and for other
purposes to the matrilineal kinsmen.
Marriage
The concept of marriage varies according to different cultures, but in
general it is defined as an institution in which interpersonal
relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged. It is a
socially or ritually recognized union or legal contract between two
consenting individuals that establishes rights and obligations between
them, between them and their children, and between them and their in-
laws.
TYPES OF MARRIAGE
1. Monogamy- It is the union of two individuals or the state
of being married to one person only at given time.
Social Sexual Genetic Marital Serial
monogamy monogamy monogamy monogamy monogamy
Two persons Two persons Two persons Marriage A series of
live together, that remain that have an between two relationships
have sex with sexually offspring with individuals. where one
each other, exclusive to one another. person has
and one another only one
cooperating and have no partner at a
with each outside time and then
other in sexual move to
acquiring partners. another after
basic breaking up
resources. with the
previous
partner.
•Polygamy- it is the practice of multiple marriage with two
classifications: Polygyny and Polyandry.

Polygyny
It refers to a man having
multiple wives or sexual
partner at a time. It is
different from having sexual
partner outside the marriage
which is concubine. There
are societies and religions
historically allow polygyny
such as Mormonism and
Islam.
Polyandry
It involves woman having
multiple husbands. An
example of this is a fraternal
polyandry known to be
practiced among groups in
Tibet and Nepal. It occurs
when a group of brothers
marries one woman.
CULTURAL REFERENCES RULES OF MARRIAGE
1. Endogamy- it is a marriage of an individual to someone who belongs to the
same religion, age, race, social class. It is defined as a marriage within a
defined social group.
2. Exogamy- it is a marriage outside a particular social or cultural group. It
allows marriage to happen between two individuals even if they are
different in terms of religion, language, race and social class.
3. Hypergamy- It is marrying someone who belongs to a higher caste than
that one was born into. It deals with women marrying someone who
belongs to higher class, with higher education, financial status and/or social
status. It is prevalent in societies that put importance on social class,
finances and social status.
4. Hypogamy- It deals with a man marrying a woman of higher class or status.
It is prevalent in societies where women have an equal access to
opportunities with men.
5. Isogamy- Biologically, it refers to a condition where sex cells, or gametes,
are identical to each other. Isogamy in relationships can mean as being in a
committed relationship with the same sex.
ISSUES
DIVORCE
It is a legal process in which a court legally ends a marriage. It leaves
two individual after the process with a status of “single.” And can marry
someone again. It does not declare a marriage null or void, but rather
states that the marriage was unsuccessful for variety of valid reasons
determined by the court.

ANNULMENT
It is a judicial declaration that there was never a marriage between a
man and woman. It is a cancellation of marriage as if it never
happened. The grounds for annulment include the following:
a. Absence of parental consent during the marriage;
b. Mental illness;
c. Fraud;
d. Lack of consent; and
e. Certain disease
LEGAL SEPARATION
It is a degree granted by the court allowing the husband
and wife rightfully live separately from each other but they
are not allowed by the law to acquire new marriage to
another partner.
“Man has not invented a reliable compass by which to steer a marriage in its
journey over troubled waters. Laws are seemingly inadequate. Over time,
much reliance has been placed in the works of the unseen hand of Him who
created all things.”

Who is to blame when a marriage fails?”

-Supreme Court Justice Justo P. Torres, Jr.

Love is useless unless it is shared with another.
SAME-SEX MARRIAGE
Traditionally, marriage is a union between two individuals with opposite
sex. With the changes in society and with the recognition of LGBTQ
(Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Tran sexual and Queer) individuals, the institution
of marriage is being challenged in most societies— particularly in the
west— to be inclusive and to allow same-sex marriage with equal
recognition as with traditional marriage by the state. There is still great
prejudice against LGBTQ sector and hate crimes are prevalent but more
societies are becoming open to recognize same-sex marriage especially
developed countries in the Western region of the world. Some of the
countries that recognize same-sex marriage are: USA, Canada, Belgium,
Netherlands, Norway, South Africa, Spain and recently Taiwan which is the
first Asian state to recognize same-sex civil union.
ACTIVITY
Students will choose a side either pro or con. Every student is given
two minutes to argue why he/she is in favor or not about the
issue/questions given

1. Should same-sex marriage be allowed in the Philippines?

2. Is the Philippine society ready for same-sex marriage?