Garland states that the family is a powerful political concept in today’s culture. Everyone is “profamily,” even though there is a sharp disagreement over what the family is and what being for it means. What one group believes will strengthen and help families is seen by another group as a frontal attack on family values. The family has such enormous symbolic potential because American culture views family as the basic unit of civil society. Virtually everyone has been shaped in profound ways by their own personal experiences in one or more families. In addition, beliefs about gender roles, the place of children, and aging in society are intertwined with our religious beliefs and personal experiences of family. Much of the conversation about family centers around an underlying lack of consensus on the definition of family.
Using the information from Garland: Chapter 2, propose a working definition of family. Describe the essential elements of a family as you understand them at this stage. You will continue to build upon this emerging definition as you encounter additional materials in the course. Be comprehensive but concise in supporting your proposal with source material from the course and outside resources. Finally, reflect on your own experience as a member of a family. How does this compare with the perspectives of family that you have encountered so far in your readings and other course materials?
This discussion asks you to craft your own initial working definition of family, engaging Garland’s point that ‘family’ is a powerful, contested political and symbolic concept. Offer a thoughtful definition and reflect on why family is so symbolically charged.
Key takeaways
- ‘Family’ is contested — everyone is ‘profamily’ but disagrees on what it means.
- Craft your own working definition of family.
- Acknowledge the symbolic and political weight of the concept.
- Reflect on how personal experience shapes your definition.
- Support with scholarly material.
Engage Garland’s framing
Acknowledge Garland’s point: family is a powerful political and symbolic concept — everyone claims to be ‘profamily,’ yet groups sharply disagree on what family is, because American culture treats it as the basic unit of society and everyone is shaped by their own family experience.
Offer your working definition
Craft your own definition of family — consider whether you define it by blood/marriage, by function (care, support, commitment), or inclusively (chosen family). Explain your reasoning.
Reflect
Discuss how your personal experiences and values shape your definition, and recognize the diversity of family forms. Note that this is an initial definition you’ll refine.
Format
Support with scholarly material (Garland and others), cited.
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