Define urbanization and discuss its impact on family in India with examples. (15 Marks) Anthropology Optional Paper CSE 2024
Define urbanization and discuss its impact on family in India with examples.
(15 Marks) Anthropology Optional Paper CSE 2024
Introduction
The process of a large number of people moving from rural to urban areas, which causes cities and towns to flourish, is known as urbanization. Changes in work habits, lifestyle, social structure, and infrastructure are characteristics of this transformation. India has undergone a substantial expansion in urbanization, especially since the middle of the 20th century, which has had a significant socioeconomic impact on family dynamics and structures.
Main Body
Urbanization in India:
Industrialization, economic growth, and the demand for improved job, healthcare, and educational opportunities have all had an impact on India’s urbanization. India’s urban population has been growing quickly; according to the 2011 Census, 31% of the country’s population lived in urban areas, and in the next decades, it is anticipated that this percentage would rise even further.
Smaller urban hubs are emerging alongside megacities like Bangalore, Delhi, and Mumbai as part of this urban transition.
Indian Families’ Experiences with Urbanization In India, mixed-race households have historically been prevalent. Indian home structures have undergone tremendous alteration as a result of urbanization. The move to the city has had an influence on relationships and family duties in both positive and negative ways.
Nuclearization of Families: The rise in nuclear families replacing joint families is one of the most noticeable effects of urbanization. A smaller family unit made up of parents and their kids is a common result of economic stresses, housing shortages, and occupational mobility. For instance, the necessity for mobility and housing restrictions in large cities like Mumbai have pushed this development.
In contrast to the traditional joint family system, where multiple generations lived together, urban families are often isolated from extended kin, leading to changes in family responsibilities and caregiving.
Changing Gender Roles: Traditional gender roles have changed as a result of women’s increased engagement in the labor brought about by urbanization. In urban settings, women frequently juggle work and home obligations. As demonstrated in places like Delhi and Bangalore, where women’s employment boosts household income while simultaneously changing conventional expectations of childcare and housework, this change is transforming family dynamics.
But there are drawbacks to this shift as well, such as pressures to strike a work-life balance and a redefining of gender roles within the family.
Intergenerational Relationships: Intergenerational relationships have been impacted by the shift toward nuclear households. Traditionally, the younger generations in joint households took care of the elderly. However, physical isolation from elderly family members brought about by urbanization frequently results in the growth of senior independent living facilities or old-age homes. This is especially true in places like Chennai and Pune, where the dissolution of joint families has led to an increase in the number of elderly homes.
As a result, there may be a breakdown in intergenerational communication, which could leave younger generations without a sense of cultural and familial values and elder generations feeling alone.
Marriage and Kinship Patterns: Urbanization has also affected marriage customs. In contrast to traditional arranged marriages, which were more typical in joint families and rural communities, love weddings and marriages based on personal preference are becoming more and more frequent in urban areas. The marriageable age has also been postponed since employment and education have grown in importance in urban regions.
Children and Education: Urbanization has enhanced children’s development by increasing access to healthcare and education. However, because both parents are frequently employed, urban life can also mean less family time and a greater reliance on daycare facilities or other outside caretakers. For example, in contrast to the traditional family-oriented child-rearing methods of rural areas, dual-income households in cities like Gurgaon and Bangalore commonly rely on domestic help or daycare services for childcare.
Examples of Urbanization Impact on Families in India:
Mumbai: Due to a lack of affordable housing and high real estate costs, a growing number of families are choosing to live in small flats as a nuclear family. Seldom do members of extended families live in the same home.
Bangalore: The city, which is known as an IT hub, has witnessed a notable increase in nuclear households, in which both partners work in the technology sector, changing the norms around responsibilities and expectations.
Chennai: As nuclear families proliferate, the number of elderly homes has expanded, changing the burden of elder care.
Delhi: As a result of greater access to education and a wider range of social values in metropolitan environments, young couples are increasingly choosing to marry out of love or across castes.
Conclusion
Family structures and relationships have been significantly impacted by India’s urbanization. It has resulted in challenges including the disintegration of relationships between generations, the rise of nuclear families, and adjustments to caregiving responsibilities, but it has also brought about advancements in gender roles, access to education, and financial independence. Understanding these developments is essential to managing the social and cultural shifts brought about by urbanization in Indian society.
