GLOBALIZATION AND
FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS:
A FEW NOTES
Brandon K. Burr, Ph.D.
GLOBALIZATION IN A DIVERSIFIED WORLD
 Aspects
of globalization have numerous
influences on family relationships
 Today’s families live in a world that is
complex, interconnected, and continuously
evolving…
 Continuous changes are evident in the
economy, environment, technology, and
migration shifts
 It is important to promote a global
consciousness about families that involves
personal and public concern about the effects
of globalization on family relationships (Darling
& Turkki, 2009)
FAMILY ISSUES AT A GLOBAL LEVEL
What would you say are among the top issues influencing families at
a world-wide level?
 Darling and Turkki (2009):
 277 respondents from 6 continents and 50 countries
Top Five:
1.
Drug and alcohol abuse
2.
Aging
3.
Family Violence
4.
Adolescent Health
5.
Unemployment
Bottom Five:
Infertility
Adoption
Homelessness
Family Structure
Cohabitation
Anything surprising about these results?

FAMILIES AND GLOBALIZATION: A FEW
AREAS OF CONSIDERATION
Work-family issues: greater pressures for workers
to accept lower wages, longer hours, and fewer
benefits, or companies will move their factories to
another country
 Limited family-friendly policies to help families
balance work and caregiving responsibilities
 May result in increased international migration:

Disconnection of family members between their nuclear
and extended family
 Some families maintain communication, but quality
time is lost and family members are not present for
significant family transitions, thereby losing important
contacts over time.

(Darling & Turkki, 2009)
DEMOGRAPHIC SHIFTS: MIGRATION,
IMMIGRATION, AND DIVERSIFICATION
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E.g., Hispanics accounted for more than half of the U.S.
population increase during the past decade, reaching a
new census milestone: 50 million, or 1 in 6 Americans…
Hispanics and Asians were the two fastest growing
demographic groups since 2000.
Acculturation factors. . .
Acculturation generally refers to the changes in values,
beliefs, and behaviors a minority group undergoes as it
adapts to the majority culture (Berry, 1997)
“Acculturation gap”: some family members acculturate
faster than others (children often acculturate more
quickly)
Family conflict can happen as a result
Shifting of values (individualism vs. collectivism)
SOCIALIZATION PRACTICES
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Globalization and associated effects (increased
diversification of the population, acculturation factors)
highlight influences on family processes. . . How are
diversity themes managed in the home?
Racial and ethnic socialization has to do with the processes
by which parents or other family members instill as sense of
cultural pride and cultural knowledge in children
Teaching children about discrimination they may face
growing up and potential ways for handling such issues
Racial and ethnic socialization are protective factors
(reduced behavioral problems, increased academic
achievement, etc.)(e.g., Anton, 2009)
Potentially counteract negative influences of globalization
(e.g., increased ethnic pride, and buffering of discrimination)
How families talk about/manage globalization influences in
the home appears to play a role in the nature of the
globalization impact
SOCIALIZATION OF PREJUDICE
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Socialization processes have multiple potential outcomes
Social learning theory, suggests that prejudice is learned
in the same way other attitudes and values are learned,
primarily through association, reinforcement, and
modeling
Children are not born with prejudiced attitudes or with
stereotypes. They learn values and beliefs from their
family, peers, teachers, the media, and others around
them. In other words, children learn prejudice through
socialization
Could result in increasing negative aspects of
globalization
Elevating school and community conflict and violence
 Potentially disrupting family relationships
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WIDENING THE LENS
The family as a system…?
 Importance of the family ecosystemic perspective
 Individuals and families embedded within multiple
interacting contexts: close relationships, community
contexts (schools, religious and community
institutions, etc.), and the role of broader societal
factors
 An ecological model suggests that in order to
prevent family concerns related to globalization, it is
necessary to examine multiple issues
simultaneously from several different levels
 Boost protective factors and reduce risk factors
(focus on increasing resource access and resilience)

(Darling & Turkki, 2009)
“Countries will have to find
creative ways to deal with
population growth, mobility,
aging, diversity, and
worldwide health problems, as
these issues will remain in
constant flux”
(Darling & Turkki, 2009)
What are some of the ways you see
globalization having an effect on
those you work with?