LATE MODERNITY AND TRANSFORMATION OF MARRIAGE AND FAMILY LIFE

Institucije braka i obitelji predmetom su proučavanja sociologije obitelji. Prvi pokušaji znanstvenog izučavanja obitelji datiraju iz 18. stoljeća nastankom moderne obitelji. Procesindustrijalizacije koji uključuje i urbanizaciju i masovnu migraciju stanovništva iz sela u gradove, a koji se odvijao u Europi i Sjevernoj Americi od kraja 17. pa do početka 19. stoljeća, doveo je do promjena obiteljskih uzoraka, te predindustrijsku, proširenu, patrijarhalnu obitelj zamjenjuje industrijska, mala, nukleusna obitelj. Posljedice društvenog razvoja utjecale su na razvoj različitih teorijskih perspektiva u sociologiji kojima se objašnjava i analizira obitelj, te promjene nastale u obiteljskom životu. U razdoblju od druge polovice 20. stoljeća, koje neki autori nazivaju i kasnom modernošću, više pozornosti posvećuje se obitelji i posljedicama obiteljskog života na pojedinca. Razvoj individualnosti i refleksivnosti, te težnja za ostvarenjem potpunog odnosa dovode do pluralizacije obiteljskih i partnerskih oblika. U hrvatskom društvu većina mladih teži sklapanju braka, pri čemu brak ne shvaćaju oblikom partnerske zajednice pod svaku cijenu, već kao odnos koji ih u potpunosti zadovoljava. Međutim, uočavaju se promjene slične onima koje su prošle zapadne zemlje, a odnose se na opadanje broja sklopljenih brakova, povećane stope razvoda brakova, sve kasniji ulazak u brak, te prakticiranje života u kohabitaciji.The institutions of marriage and family are the subject of study in the sociology of the family. The scientific study of the family begins in the 18th century with the emergence of the modern family. Process of the industrialization, which includes also the urbanization and huge migrations of the population from villages to cities, which took place in Europe and North America at the end to the 17th century to the beginning of the 19th century, led to changes in family patterns, and pre-industrial, extended, patriarchal family is being replaced with industrial, small, nuclearfamily. The consequences of social development have influenced the development of various theoretical perspectives in sociology that explain and analyze the family and changes in family life. In the period from the second half of the 20th century, which some authors call late modernity, more attention is paid to the family and the consequences of family life on the individual. The development of individuality and reflexivity, and the desire to achieve a complete relationship lead to the pluralization of family and partnership forms. In Croatian society, the majority of young people aspire to get married, but they do not understand marriage as a form of partnership at anycost, but as a relationship that fully satisfies them. However, there are changes similar to those in western countries and they refer to the decline in the number of marriages, increased divorce rates, the later entry into marriage and the practice of living in cohabitation