Family is arguably, the most important social institution – ideally, we are born part of a family, ...

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Family is arguably, the most important social institution – ideally, we are born part of a family, we are nourished, protected, and taught by family members, we strive to leave our parental orbit and build our own units, all our daily struggles and triumphs are shaped by and reflect back on our family. Like any other institution, family is a profoundly social construct in the fact that it reflects the cultural, economic, political, historical, even geographic forces and is shaped and molded by them, taking on varied forms. For this last discussion question I would like for you to focus on this very social nature of the family institution and consider the issue of social change (which can be defined very broadly as ‘alteration, modification, or transformation of public policy, culture, or social institutions over time’). Please take some time to reflect on all the readings for this class, your discussions and other assignments. What were the most powerful things that you learned? What stories, facts or ideas affected you the most? In what way would you like to see the contemporary American family change? How would such changes benefit us? Through what social and political processes could such changes take place?