Is the family universal? Please give examples if yes or no.?

Question

Are there cultures that may not be considered universal? To what extent, if any can the family be said to be a “Universal”.

Answer 1

I already took this test.

No cheating!

Answer 2

I don't know about the universe(s), but in this world I think families have existed in all cultures across space and time known to anthropology, history and archaeology. The primary reason is the God/evolution-given 'need' for each child born to learn how to live in the society they are born into. Children need parenting, and this seems to be part of thhe basic design of the human being.

There are examples of societies where parents of specific children removed them from their own household to have them raised in another. Royal fostering in pre-Christian Celtic society is one case in point. The magical birth legends of King Arthur and of Taliesin both illustrate that this was done -- the special boy was removed at birth from his parents and given to a foster-father societally perceived as wise, respectively Merlin and Prince Elffin, for training in his destined future role. But there is still a 'family' relationship bond formed thereby, between the child and the foster-father.

The other 'exception' that occurs to me is where there is communal living. In general, recent examples of communes have not been long-lasting and, where children have been included at all, I think you will find they have had primary carers i.e. usually the mother, whatever the wider social context. In any case, even this is not a real exception, because nobody is saying that people in a 'family' have to be genetically related, just because usually they are. Any group of people can by agreement constitute a de-facto family, if the wider cultural context permits, as for example a homosexual couple adopting and raising a child.

Answer 3

The family or clan is pretty much a universal construct for obvious reasons. All cultures began as family based, extended to clan, than tribal than more organized multitribal and eventually organized societies. But the smallest sociatel unit has always been the family.

Answer 4

To think of the family as a " construct " betrays sociological thinking. I f it is a construct, can it be deconstructed? The family is universal because it is deep in are evolutionary past. It represent one of the first, true divisions of labor.

Answer 5

yes.

We're all related to the first organisms since the start of life.