The Family is changing in structure, size and function.

Discuss with reference to Malta

The family is primary group linked by kin

connections where adult members assume responsibility for
caring of children. The functionalists see the family as a
universal one

According to Murdock the nuclear family which is

the smallest family unit that consists of a husband, wife and
their dependent offspring is universal. The extended family
which is a larger family grouping consisting of other
members related by birth marriage or adoption is limited.
There are three types of modified extended families. These
are the Local Extended Family, the Dispersed Extended
Family and the Attenuated Extended Family. By a study that
has been made it results that Maltese families qualify to be
defined as Local Extended Families. This means that Maltese
families consists of two or three nuclear families related to
each other and living in separate households but near each
other.

The family life passed through four stages. These

are the pre-industrial family which is a unit of production.
This means that the husband, wife and unmarried children
work for example on their own piece of land. The early
industrial family is not common to find nowadays. This type
of family didn’t remain a unit of production but members of
the family (usually men) were employed as wage earners.
Poverty was widespread, wages were low and unemployment
high. Due to this the conjugal bond (husband-wife
relationship) weakened. Young and Willmot claimed that
husband squeezed out of the family circle and tool to the
pub as a defence. The symmetrical family is the most
dominant. The number of children per family reduced with
better living standards and the conjugal bond is strong. The
husband and wife share their chores and decisions. The
women are still responsible for raising the children but
husbands help. Stage four of the family life is an
assumption. ‘My business is my life’ is a typical quote of the
stage four families. Leisure activities are less home centred
and doesn’t involve members of the family. Studies show
that in Malta a family used to consist of husband, wife and
more than seven children but know the family size has
diminished for various socio-economic reasons.

According to Murdock the family performs four

basic functions which he termed as sexual, reproductive,
economic and educational . Some sociologists argue that the
family has lost a number of functions. Parsons argued that
the family has become almost completely functionless.
However the family hasn’t lost it’s importance but has
become more specialized. The family provides it’s members
with support and care towards the requirements of the social
system. Fletcher argued that the family hasn’t lost any of
it’s functions, on contrary it has improved it’s functions. A
research shows that the amount of Maltese married people
who do not agree with the church regarding divorce has
increased. Another research shows that the traditions
followed by Maltese families are no longer traditional ones of
good manners, honesty and others but are following also
post-traditional ones such as self control and responsibility.

Maltese families maintain very frequent contact

between each other and on a continuous basis. The
members in maltese family reduced and the bond between
them is stronger. Through the years the Maltese people have
different opinions about divorce, birth contol, abortion and
civil marriage than the traditional teachings of catholic
church.

References:
Sociological Aspects of the Maltese Islands
Haralombus and Holborn- Sociology Themes and
Perspectives
Charlene Saliba