The essentials
The family is the basic unit of social life, but its forms vary widely. A nuclear family consists of one set of parents and their children; an extended (joint) family has more than one couple and often more than two generations living together, sharing property, kitchen and worship. Although the joint family is often seen as "the" Indian family, sociological studies show that nuclear households have long been common, especially among the poor and lower castes, and that the joint family remains an ideal for many.
Families can be classified by residence, descent and authority. In patrilocal societies the couple lives with the husband's family; in matrilocal ones, with the wife's. In patrilineal systems property and name pass through the male line; in matrilineal systems they pass through the female line. Patriarchal families give authority to men, matriarchal ones to women.
Key points
- Matrilineal communities include the Khasi of Meghalaya and the Nayar of Kerala (historically).
- Among the Khasi, property passes through women, but the mother's brother has substantial control over it, so matriliny is not the same as matriarchy.
- Kinship ties are formed by blood (consanguinal) and marriage (affinal).
- Family structure changes with migration, industrialisation and new laws; for instance, men migrating to cities can leave women heading rural households.
- Changes in family structure are linked to changes in the economy, but family values can also shape economic life.
Exam tips
In case questions, check three things separately: who lives together (residence), how inheritance runs (descent), and who decides (authority).
Common mistakes
Do not assume that a matrilineal society is automatically a matriarchal one. Do not assume that joint families were universal in the past.