THE IMPORTANCE OF FAMILY IN MODERN SOCIETY

Sociologija proučava društveni život, ljudske skupine i društvo. Kultura je jedan od najčešće rabljenih pojmova u sociologiji. Kultura označava način života pojedinca u društvu ili društvenim skupinama. Društvo je sustav uzajamnih odnosa koji povezuje pojedince. Obitelj je jedna od najdugovječnijih institucija. Obitelj je skupina ljudi izravno povezana rodbinskim vezama, pri čemu odrasli pripadnici preuzimaju odgovornost za brigu o djeci. Tradicionalno shvaćanje pojma obitelji odnosi se na heteroseksualne parove u braku i djecu, a u daljoj prošlosti odnosi se na suživot više generacija pod istim krovom. Obitelj se tijekom povijesti mijenjala, pa je interes proučavanja raznih znanstvenih područja, koja joj pristupaju na razne načine. Suvremena je obitelj suočena s brojnim promjenama koje su posljedica globalizacije i sve naglašenijih liberalnih težnji, koji nameću nove vrijednosti i nove načine razumijevanja međuljudskih odnosa. Uz pojam tradicionalne obitelji, javlja se pojam moderne obitelji koja nameće zahtjev za slobodom u svim područjima življenja. Nastupilo je razdoblje krize tradicionalne obiteljske institucije, što je vidljivo u porastu stope razvoda, padu stope nataliteta, porastu broja samohranih roditelja i porastu sklapanja drugih brakova. Prijetnje suvremenoj obitelji jesu poligamija i trend rastava. Zadnjih nekoliko godina, diljem svijeta održavali su se i referendumi o pitanju definiranja obitelji. Oblikovani su i novi modeli obitelji, kao npr. izvanbračna zajednica, samohrana kućanstva i životno partnerstvo istospolnih parova. Ti modeli najviše do izražaja dolaze u Europi i Americi, a koji u društvu pokušavaju zamijeniti funkciju tradicionalne obitelji.Sociology studies social life, human groups and society. Culture is one the most widely used terms in sociology. Culture refers to the way of life of an individual within the society or social groups. Society is a system of mutual relationships which connects individuals. Family is one of the longest-lived institutions. A family is a group of people directly connected by family relations, where adult members assume responsibility for child care. Traditional understanding of the term family refers to heterosexual married couples and children, and in distant past it refers to cohabitation of more generations under the same roof. As family has been changing throughout history, it has become the focus of study of different scientific fields, which have different approaches to it. Modern family is faced with numerous changes as a consequence of globalisation and more and more emphasised liberal aspirations, which impose new values and new ways of understanding of interpersonal relations. Beside the term traditional family, the term modern family also occurs, which imposes the request for freedom in all areas of life. The traditional family institution has been experiencing a period of crisis, which can be observed in the increase in the divorce rates, decline in the birth rates, increase in the number of single parents and increase in entering into second marriage. Threats to the modern family are polygamy and divorce trend. In the last few years, referendums on the question of defining a family have been held worldwide. New models of family have been formed, such as common-law marriage, single-parent household and same-sex life partnership. Those models are mostly manifested in Europe and America, and try to replace the function of a traditional family in the society