Cultural diversity

Cultural diversity is a form of family diversity that focuses on the differences in family life caused by the ethnicity of the family members.

South African Family:
Ballard(1990):

compare families in South Asia and in Britain

• Families in South Asia:

○  based traditionally around a man,

○ family groups live in large multigenerational households

○ sharing domestic and production tasks.

• Families in Britain:

○ women were increasingly working outside home

○ Production less frequently family-based

○ Married couples expected more independence from their kin

○ Split into smaller domestic units to fit British housing

○ Children experience 2cultures: conformed to British culture in society, conformed to ethnic subculture at home

○Retained links with their origin in South Asia

Bhatti(1999)
 * Continue emphasis on loyalty to maintain traditional practices
 * Family honor was taken seriously
 * Paid work less important than caring for children
 * Father see their roles more of a traditional breadwinner
 * Conflict between different generation
 * Generally children seem happy to adhere to traditional patterns of family life