Evolution of family structures

Evolution of Family Structures Portugal at the turn of the Millennium

Academic Year Class Teacher Date

2012/2013 Sociology, S I01 Rafael Marques January 27th 2013

Group members: Catarina Afonso, no 38925 Vitor Brito, no 38970

Undergraduate Course – Sociology The Evolution of Domestic Structures Portugal at the turn of the Millennium 1rs Semester – 2012/ 13

INDEX
Introduction Summary & Keywords Part I 1. The Evolution of Family Structures 1.1. Family Structures 1.2. Types of Families Part II 2. Critical Review 2.1. Regarding domestic structures and types of families 2.2. Overall Conclusion References Annexes page 2 page 4 page 5 page 5 page 6 page 7 page 9 page 9 page 9 page 17 page 19 page 20 page 22

1

Undergraduate Course – Sociology The Evolution of Domestic Structures Portugal at the turn of the Millennium 1rs Semester – 2012/ 13

INTRODUCTION
This final assignment was made on the ambit of the undergraduate course of Sociology in which Prof. Rafael Marques suggested every group work of his class to execute a critical review about a theme of their choice, based on the subjects we analyzed throughout the semester. Our choice focused on the theme of the “Evolution of Domestic Structures” since it is a subject matter that we find interesting and curious and it is also very present in our society nowadays.

Although family is a universal institution, sometimes we have some difficulty in establishing a definition. The word family is linked with other terms like marriage, children, home or relationship and indeed these are some concepts that we may find in the definitions of family. Family – besides being a fundamental stanchion of human societies – constitutes in fact the first framing in which most human beings build the basis of their first knowledge. Consequently, studying how families are formed, how they evolve and dissolve is a path to help understanding how the familiar life learning of each person can constitute an element of