RESEARCH EXERCISE FOR SA FAMILIES AND HOUSEHOLDS MODULE

 

 

 

 

 

INTRODUCTION

 

 

This research exercise can be conducted with a family in the community or your own family.

 

 

The purpose of this is to give you an understanding and insight into family practices and how the interaction of socio-economic and political circumstances that may be influencing how different family members are positioned in relation to status and resources, the responsibilities they take and what they are able to do and are not allowed to do.

You will also be required to conduct a life history interview with one of the family members.

You will have the opportunity of gathering information from a number of resources (eg. Interviews with family members, diaries, letters, photographs and other documents).  You will be required to get the family members who you interview to fill out a consent form

 

 

1. FAMILY MEMBERS’ LIFE HISTORY

 

1.1  Verbatim Report

 

Choose one family member for an interview. Write the story of this person’s life history in not more than 4 - 6 pages. This information must be presented as a verbatim account (i.e. a story in the person’s own words). 

 

1.2 Evaluation of the family member’s life history

 

(a) What have you learnt from hearing this family member’s life story?

 

(b) Did the person have any difficulty remembering past events?

 

© What were your feelings when interviewing this family member? How did you feel once the interview/s was/were completed

 

(d) How did your closeness/distance from this person influence the quality of the information, which   you received from this person?

 

 

2.  THE GENOGRAM

A genogram is a visual representation or picture of the family relatedness, history and structure. It combines demographic date (age, sex and marital status) with dates of important life events such as births, marriages, divorces and deaths. It practically represents the relationship structure of two or more generations of the family (Lieberman, : 68 and Parker&Bradley,(2003 :41). It is necessary for you to ask family member being interviewed to draw a genogram as part of your study of the family. As illustrations, two examples of genograms are included in this handout. Please note that you should include the particulars of at least three generations in the genogram i.e. grandparents, parents, and the student and his/her siblings. (The same obviously applies in cases where you use the particulars of another family.

 

A genogram is useful for the following reasons:

 

(a)    It can involve family members in viewing the family historically and holistically.

 

(b)   It is a summary of basic information about the family.

      

      © It can offer the insight into family patterns and influences.

 

 

 

 

 

2.1 HOW TO CONSTRUCT A GENOGRAM

 

A genogram is constructed by making use of symbols. The following symbols are normally used:

 

ÿ Male

O Female

D Sex unknown

Y Miscarriage/ Abortion

         Stable (permanent relationship)

 

---------Short-term relationship

M = Married

D = Divorced

S = Separation;

A = Adopted child

F = Foster child

                            Passed away (dead)                                     

 

 

 

 

Remember

 

(a) An unbroken line ( _______) indicates a long-term heterosexual relationship (e.g. A marriage or Common-law marriage).

 

(b) A broken line (-----) indicates a short-term relationship such as love affair.

 

©  A descending line from the relationship between a man and a woman, whether a marriage unbroken line) or a love affair (broken line) indicates the children who were born of the relationship.

 

(d) Children are indicated from the eldest to the youngest from left to right on an unbroken line  (miscarriages and abortions are also included).

 

(e) Names and ages or dates of birth are written inside the circle or square.

 

(f) The dates of marriages are written on top of the line that indicates the association, while the dates indicating a divorce or separation are written below the line.

 

(g) Draw a dotted line around the family members who comprise the household.

 

(h) The more detail you include in the genogram the better. You could include family

      members’ names, places of residence, and what they are presently doing etc.

     

 

 

 

 

2.2 Evaluation of drawing up the genogram

 

(a)   How was the information obtained? Was there any resistance from the family, due to cultural or other reasons, to giving information necessary for the genogram? If so, how did you overcome these difficulties?

(b)   How has gathering this information changed your perception of the family?

(c)   What new insights have you gained from this exercise?

      

 

    This section is worth (5) marks                                                  

 

3. An Eco-map

 

An eco-map is a visual representation or picture (just like genogram) of family connectedness, boundaries and communication patterns.  It organises and clarifies data or information on the support, connections and stresses in the family (extended or nuclear family members such parent, child, sibling, community and physical environment

 

 

 

3.1 How to construct an Eco-map?

 

An eco-map is constructed by making use of symbols. The following symbols are normally used:

 

ÿ Male  

O Female

 

                            Passed away (dead)                                     

 

 

 

 

M = Married

D = Divorced

S = Separation;

A = Adopted child

F = Foster child

 

(a) A descending line from the relationship between a man and a woman, whether a marriage  (unbroken line) or a love affair (broken line) indicates the children who were born of the   relationship.

 

 (b) A solid thick line(___________________ )represents important or strong connection 

 

 © A dotted line   ( ----------------------------------) represents  a tenuous connection.

 

(d) The jagged marks across the line(___________________) represent stressful or conflicted     relationship

 

(e) An arrow   (  ---------> )indicates flow of resources, energy or interest

 

(f) Children are indicated from the eldest to the youngest from left to right on an unbroken line (Death, miscarriages and abortions are also included).

 

(g) Names and ages or dates of birth are written inside the circle or square.

 

(h) The dates of marriages are written on top of the line that indicates the

   association, while the dates  indicating a divorce or separation are written below

   the line.

(i) Draw a dotted line around the family members who comprise the household.

 

(j) The more detail you include in the eco-map the better. You could include family

    members’  names, places of residence, that they are presently doing etc. Please

   refer to the article in the  Hartman (1976) Figure 1-3 Pg71- 73 and page 45-50  

   Parker Bradley (2003)

 

 

 

3.2 Evaluation of drawing up an eco-map

 

a)     How was the information obtained? Was there any resistance from the family, due to cultural or other reasons, to giving information necessary for the eco-map? If so, how did you overcome these difficulties?

 

(b) How has gathering this information changed your perception of the family?

      What new insights have you gained from this exercise?

 

       © Discuss your family eco-map referring to the Hartman (1978) and Parker

       Bradley (2003) article in the readings provided    to you.

 

     

 

4. Hourly Activity

 

4.1 Ask your member to draw up an Hourly Activity Plan to illustrate the different

     activities that man, women, boys and girls are/ were involved in.. Please make

     use of the information collected under patterns of work and division of labour to  

     draw up an Hourly Activity  Plan.

 

 

                              Hourly Activity Plan

 

Male Activities		Time	Female  Activities
Adult Male	Boys		Adult Female	Girls
		00.00
		1h00
		2h00
		3h00
		4h00
		5h00
		6h00
		7h00
		8h00
		9h00
		10h00
		11h00
		12h00
		13h00
		14h00
		15h00
		16h00
		17h00
		18h00
		19h00
		20h00
		21h00
		22H00
		23H00

 

 

4.2 Comment and analyse the family division of labour activities under the following.

     

·        Productive

·        Reproductive

·        Community role

 

 

 

 

4. GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF THE FAMILY

 

Introduction

 

It is important for us to distinguish between family ideology and the reality of the families we live in. We are led to believe that the Western middle class nuclear family is the norm, which is reinforced through media such as TV serials, advertisements, women’s magazines etc. Research has shown that the majority of people do not live in this idealized situation. There is no universal family form, which exists, but an enormous variety of family structures.

 

We need to be able to examine the real experiences of African and US families, how they have lived their lives, under what circumstances and how they have been affected by the ideologies of how they should live their lives. For example, in some communities it was believed that children should work from an early age. However, as the new middle classes became more powerful, children’s labour was no longer needed and the popular ideology was that children generally should not work, economically essential (Gittins, 1985).

 

Another example of how ideology has affected the family is that it has been assumed that all forms of caring and household tasks are essentially women’s unpaid work.  Men’s domestic participation has been regarded as voluntary - a man may bath the baby, wash the dishes or sweep the flour if he wishes to, but if he decides not to, nobody will criticize or condemn him.

 

Gender identities are also constructed and reproduced within the ideology of the family. Violence towards women and children are not rare occurrences, but have cultural sanctions and are seen as a natural extension of a husband’s authority. In South Africa, as well as violence occurring within families, the state and capitalism has in the past used strategies such as migrant labour system, influx control, single sex hostels, the creation of Bantustans and other forms of repression and control.  These state practices continue to affect the practices of families and the resources to which they have access. We need to be aware of all these influences when examining family practices.

 

Listed below are some questions, which could serve as a guide to gathering and reflecting on information. The list is not exhaustive and students should feel free to pursue issues, which are appropriate to their specific families in more detail.

 

4.1 Dwelling and Organization of Family Life

 

(a) What type of dwelling does the family live in? How does the family organize the living space? Who sleeps in what room? How is the work and living space divided? How crowded is the household?

 

(b) How is family defined?  Are there families that did not meet traditional definitions? 

     How are they perceived and treated?

 

© Name challenges that face the family.  How are they handled?

 

(d) Are there any special arrangements for sick family members (e.g. disabilities, contagious like diseases, TB, HIV and AIDS?

 

(d) Who constitutes the household? Do married sons and daughters continue to live in their parents’ household? Do ageing parents live in their children’s household, in their dwellings, in residential communities or old age homes? Are there other members of the household who were not living with the family e.g. boarders, domestic workers?

 

(d) How are orphans and other vulnerable children accommodated?

 

(e) What effect does the dwelling have on the way the family members relate to each

     other and the  community?

 

 

 

 

4.2.1  Patterns of work: Unpaid Labour

 

(a) Who is involved in the daily preparation of food, cleaning the home? Is

    domestic labour in the house performed on a paid or unpaid basis?

 

(b) Who cares for and rears the children? Who looks after the family members

     who are sick,  disabled or elderly?

 

© Elaborate further on the types of illness or disability experienced? What effect did this

   cause on the  family?

 

(d) How did the family deal with infectious diseases like HIV and AIDS and TB? 

 

 

(e) How are these family members handled? Are they accepted or rejected?

 

 

(f) Have family members changed at all in their conceptions of what women’s and

   men’s roles in  caring for others and domestic chores are?

 

(g) Are children involved in caring for other family members?

 

 (g) Are the children involved in different work from that of their parents? Why/ why 

     Not?

 

(h) Do you think that childcare and housework should be private, unpaid tasks done

     only by women?   Why/why not? Do you think it should be performed by children? Why/why not?

 

4.2.2. Pattern of  work  Paid Labour

 

(a) Do sons and daughters leave/remain at home when they start work? If they 

      left, when and why  was this?

 

(b) What is the family’s attitude towards women seeking paid employment?

 

(c) Who is involved in waged (i.e. paid) labour? How is the income distributed in

     the  household? What sort of work are wage earners involved in and for how

     many hours a week?  Ask the member to complete the Hourly Activity

    Schedule

 

4.3 Effects of Racism

 

Dominelli (1991) distinguishes between three types of racism:

                                                                                    

4.3.1 Cultural racism - which endorses the supremacy of beliefs and values of white  

       culture.    

 

4.3.2 Institutional racism - by this is meant the public power and authority which  

   ration power and resources by excluding  Blacks eg. access to empowerment,  

   education, housing health and welfare resources, land etc. 

 

4.3.3 Personal racism - attitudes and behaviours which result in a negative

        prejudgement of racial groups. 

 

Of course the three types of racism are interconnected and the other usually promotes the one.  

 

 

Questions

 

In examining the three types of racism identified above explain in detail

 

a) How have family members been affected by each one?

 

b) How have family members coped and supported each other in dealing with them?

 

 

 

 

4.4.1 Family Relationships/Status of Family Members  

 

(a). What status is given to older people within the family’s culture?

 

(b) How are women viewed within the family? What is their status in relation to other 

     family members?

 

© How were babies treated?

 

(d) How does the family handle spouse, child and elderly abuse? Which age groups are involved  in/excluded from this?  Are elders of the community/members of the

external   family involved?

(e) How does the rearing of children change the status of the women in the family and the family as a    whole? How were children treated? Are there different     

     attitudes towards boys/girls children? Are children regarded as a means and 

     source of security in old age? Who disciplines the children and

      how is it done?

 

(f) By whom and how are the values and norms in the family transmitted? Name three values that are regarded as most important

 

(g) Describe patterns of communication in the family.

 

(h) How are family problems resolved

 

(h) How is conflict dealt with?

 

(i) How does the family cope with crises such as imprisonment, death, divorce etc.?

 

(j) Describe what happens during family meals. Are certain family members given   

    privileges over others? Where do family members have their meals/ Is everyone 

    together? Who sits where?

 

 

4.4.2  Decision making 

 

(a) How are key decisions made (e.g. having children, approval of marriage, care

     of children, sick,  elderly, religion etc.)

 

(b) How are decisions on daily family business made?

 

                                                                  

 

4.5.1 Family Rituals and Ceremonies 

 

(a) What is the daily schedule of family members?

 

(b ) Describe the type of rituals and ceremonies held in the family. How are   

     weddings, baptisms, deaths, important life cycle stages e.g. adolescence,

     initiation and other ceremonies held? Who attends? Where are they held?

     What happens at these events? What is the value of the   

     ritual  to the family and its culture?

 

(c) Are family members involved with community institutions/organizations (e.g. 

    sport, welfare work,  civics etc.)

 

(d) Religious involvement.

 

(e) Who visits whom, how frequently and over what period of time? In African

      families people simply visited each other irrespective of their status. Has this

     changed?

 

 

 

 

4.5.2  Family and Property