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Family Structures in Mauritian Society

This document summarizes the results of a survey on family structures in Mauritian society. The survey found that the dominant family type was the nuclear family, with 56.25% of respondents coming from this structure. It was observed that there has been a large transition from extended to nuclear families, driven by factors like increased women's empowerment and participation in the workforce. The survey also found that most respondents agreed with and felt positively about their current family structure. Overall, the results of the survey support functionalist perspectives that the family plays an important role in socialization and maintaining social order.

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11 views4 pages

Family Structures in Mauritian Society

This document summarizes the results of a survey on family structures in Mauritian society. The survey found that the dominant family type was the nuclear family, with 56.25% of respondents coming from this structure. It was observed that there has been a large transition from extended to nuclear families, driven by factors like increased women's empowerment and participation in the workforce. The survey also found that most respondents agreed with and felt positively about their current family structure. Overall, the results of the survey support functionalist perspectives that the family plays an important role in socialization and maintaining social order.

Uploaded by

Xander Ramburn
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© All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

As previously described in the literature review, the study of the family in the society is

subjected to various social parameters such as globalisation, capitalism, education and many
more. There are different types of families which have been observed and consequently
defined during the study of the society. The purpose of the survey carried out was to
investigate on the family structures in the Mauritian society, together with the changes that
that families are often subjected to and lastly the challenges faced by the Mauritian families.
It has been observed, while analysing the survey, that all of the above phases that a family go
through are very much dependent on each other, i.e., a particular family structure might be
the result of a challenge/problem faced by the family or even due to previous changes. It has
also been observed that there is in fact a family paradigm as described by the different
theoretical perspectives.
It has been observed, from the survey conducted, that 75% of the respondents that answered
the questionnaire were between 18 to 25 years of age, with a slight bend towards the male
participants, accounting for 56.25% with the rest being female.

Analysing the structure of family


When asked upon the structure of their respective family, among the total of 32 participants,
it was found the dominant type was the nuclear family (56.25%) while the least observed was
the step family structure. The rest was moreorless evenly distributed between the other types
of family structure. The vast dominance of this type of family is further substantiated with the
44% (out of 16 participants) which claims that grandparents and elderly people are left on
their own nowadays (with reference to Figure..) . Considering the types of problems faced,
the survey again demonstrated that the majority (31%) (Figure,,, )related the causes to old
people being a burden to the family.
With the advent of new facilities, bigger exposure to the job market for women and an
emancipation of women as demonstrated from Figure (more female degree/diploma holder),
both parents are likely to work and help into raising the standards of living for the betterment
of their family. Results from Figure proved the latter with 50% of respondent stating that
both parents contribute to the household expenditure but it is not to be forgotten that the
scenario where only the father work for the household expenses is very much present, even
today. However, it has been observed that in-case where the participant was raised by a single
parent, it was by the mother (67%).

From the statistics obtained via the survey, we have infact observed a massive transition from
the extended family to the nuclear family, which is characterised by self-centred and
independence, the transition process being highly catalysed by the industrialisation process.
To the contrary of Marxist feminist perspective, more precisely as adapted by Zaretsky
(1976), women are no longer confined to the walls of a house performing domestic work and
are not remunerated for the latter. This scenario has not totally disappeared but the study
showed that it has significantly diminished for the benefit of women.
The survey also allowed us to determine the response of the respondents to their family
structure. A majority of the candidates, 81%, agreed with the type of the family structure they
live in while only a few among them disagreed (Figure). With the prevalence of nuclear
family among the candidates during this survey, it can be assumed that the nuclear-family is
much appreciated, embracing the concept of globalisation which is partly responsible for this
paradigm shift. Moreover, 93.8% of all the respondents reacted positively that their family
structure was really important for them and it has had positive impacts in their lives while
6.3% of them reacted negatively. Most of them claimed that the family structure helped them
to culture themselves, has been a pillar in their education life and exposed them to the
socialisation process more easily.
The emotional security provided by the family structure (when they were exposed to the
elderly) was a turning factor for most candidate and these type of family structure inculcated
a sense of respect, responsibility, moral values and culture in them. Infact, the presence of
elderly people in the family is very much wanted by most candidates, with 78% (Figure)
agreeing that elderly people play an important role in the stability and well-being of a family
due to their experience in life.
These above figures and statements in fact corroborate the Functionalist perspective which
claims that the family helps in maintaining order in the society by fulfilling its various
function, which are educating, reproductive function, sexual and economic responsibilities
(as stated by Murdock). The points brought up by Parsons resurface during this survey, with
most claiming that the socialisation process starts within the family and the emotional
stability is greatly due to the family.

Analyse the changes in family structures


As previously discussed, there has been a massive change from the old traditional extended
family type to a more compact, characterised by a sense of singularity, the nuclear family.
The extensive discussion ended up on the conclusion that this family structure transition was
mostly due to the empowerment of women, in contrast to a century ago where women belong
to the house. As a matter of fact, Out of the 14 females surveyed, two were already married
and the 12 remaining agreed to get married at 26-30 years (refer to Figure). The simple and
evident reason behind the age is that women are more career-oriented nowadays and the need
to be independent to prove that the society is no more a patriarchal one is very much present.
These results infact defy the Radical Feminist perspective which asserts that women occupy a
subordinate position in the house, denied from any emancipation opportunity. On the other
hand, Difference Feminists states that the empowerment and evolution of women is
correlated to the income class of the family. As a matter of fact, the survey showed that 85%
of the respondents (Figure) which constitutes of 56% women came from a middle class
family and might thus be more easily exposed to education than those from the low class.
It has been observed that among the candidates, 34% experienced a change in their family
structure among which 69% stated that the change impacted positively in their life with 6%
claiming the opposite (refer to Figure). The change in the family structure, as drastic and
delicate as it may sound, was welcomed by most candidate. However, 53% of the respondents
reacted neutrally to the idea of being part of another type of family structure since they
claimed that there might not be much difference in their lives while 19% are confident that
might have negative impact on their lives. The Functionalist perspective, as demonstrated
above, is a valid point of view to assess the society and therefore following this point of view,
a different family would greatly influence the lifestyle of a particular person. But based on
this small study, the change in the family structure would be more likely to have a positive
impact on the person.
Another determinant factor for the change in the family structures would be the marriage and
divorce rate. The literature review allowed us to observe that there has been a decrease of
about 6% in the marriage rate and an increase of about 2% in the divorce rate during the past
decade. Since it is more likely that a couple starts a family after the marriage, the divorce of a
couple would great impact on a family structure where the divorce (being a challenge itself)
can be subjected to other problems such as domestic violence, tension/misunderstanding

between couples or even child abuse. Figure demonstrates the high presence of domestic
violence and conflict issues among parents of the candidates, which is about 37.5%. The
major cause of this type of problem is a tension present among parents, probably due to
workplace pressure.

Common questions

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Women's emancipation has significantly influenced family dynamics by enabling women to participate equally in the workforce and delay marriage, contributing to the prevalence of nuclear families. This shift challenges traditional patriarchal structures and supports women's independence, catalyzed by societal changes such as higher educational attainment and career orientation .

The study challenges the Marxist feminist perspective, particularly as posited by Zaretsky, by showing that women are no longer confined to domestic work without remuneration. Instead, they actively contribute to household income and pursue career goals. Similarly, the study challenges the Radical feminist view that women remain subordinate in the home by providing evidence of their empowerment and increased roles in education and the workforce, contradicting the notion of a strictly patriarchal society .

Elderly family members are seen as important for family stability and well-being due to their life experience and the emotional security they provide. 78% of survey respondents agreed that elderly people play a crucial role, supporting the Functionalist perspective which views the family as a unit that maintains societal order through functions like education, reproduction, and emotional support .

Respondents prefer nuclear families as they provide emotional security, facilitate better socialization, and align with modern independent lifestyle expectations. 81% agreed with their existing family structure, reflecting broader societal trends towards globalization, where nuclear families are adaptive to rapid socio-economic changes, supporting independence and mobility .

The Functionalist perspective, which posits that families maintain societal order through functions like education, emotional support, and socialization, is supported by 93.8% of respondents affirming that their family structure had positively impacted their lives. This is demonstrated by their recognition of the family's role in providing cultural, moral, and educational foundations, aligning with the functions described by Murdock and Parsons .

Globalization and industrialization have influenced the transition from extended family systems to nuclear family structures in Mauritian society. The survey highlighted that this shift was partially driven by increased opportunities for women in the workforce and greater societal emphasis on self-centeredness and independence. This trend aligns with the global societal shift facilitated by industrialization processes, as traditional familial dependencies are replaced by more individualistic approaches .

The main challenges identified include the burden of elderly family members and financial pressure due to dual-career households. These challenges are interconnected with transitions such as shifts towards nuclear families and women's increased workforce participation. For instance, caregiving strains are exacerbated as families become more nuclear and focus shifts from extended family support structures .

34% of participants experienced a change in family structure, with 69% viewing it positively, noting benefits such as increased emotional stability and personal growth. Despite these positive perceptions, 53% reacted neutrally to potential future changes, suggesting a complexity in individual adaptability and expectations of consistency in personal life .

The survey indicated that 85% of respondents from middle-class backgrounds, including 56% women, had better exposure to education compared to those from lower-income classes. This access to education is linked to the empowerment of women and subsequent changes in family structure, as educated women are more likely to delay marriage and prioritize career development, fostering nuclear family models .

The study revealed a decrease in marriage rates by 6% and an increase in divorce rates by 2% over the past decade, impacting family structures by fostering single-parent and nuclear families over extended ones. Divorce leads to challenges like domestic violence and child abuse, which necessitate different family dynamics to manage stresses and repercussions, further entrenching nuclear family arrangements .

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