Roles, Traditions,Organization…

•Since 1970, there has been great changes in family size, age at marriage, marriage

stability, and birthrate.

•Birthrate in Tuscany is among the lowest, if not the lowest, in

the world.

•Family behaviors in north-central Italian regions, such as Tuscany, are more like those of western European countries than of southern Italian regions. People marry later and less frequently, have fewer children, divorce more often, and create new family models such as cohabitation, extramarital births, single parenthood, and one-person households.

The nuclear structure of southern families may be connected to the concentration of property in fiefs, and to the settling of peasants in rural towns.

This is unlike Tuscany or Lombardy in the north, where peasants lived in "poderi" or "cascine" located in the fields.

Northern vs.

Southern Italy

Regional Differences in Family Structure

The situation changed in The situation changed in the last half of the twentieth the last half of the twentieth

century, as multiple and century, as multiple and extended families steadily extended families steadily

decreased all over the decreased all over the country. Regional country. Regional

differences remain, differences remain, although they are less although they are less marked than before.marked than before.

Recent Changes in Family Structure

Italian families maintain strong bonds over generations.

Their sense of connectedness explains the great relevance that family as an institution assumes in Italian culture. To be a member of a family is what gives the individual a guarantee against any serious trouble in life, more so than being a member of any other group.

After leaving home to start new families, the children After leaving home to start new families, the children usually live very near to one of the two parental families, usually live very near to one of the two parental families, make daily telephone calls to their parents (mainly the make daily telephone calls to their parents (mainly the mother), and visit them weekly.mother), and visit them weekly.

Their relationships with their parents typically display Their relationships with their parents typically display strong reciprocal support and exchanges, including strong reciprocal support and exchanges, including childcare, care of the elderly and ill, help with economic childcare, care of the elderly and ill, help with economic troubles, loans, and advice.troubles, loans, and advice.

Italian women attend high school more successfully than do Italian men, and also more frequently.

At university level women

outnumbered men by the late 1990s.

The increased level of education of

Italian women helps to explain the

greater presence of women in the labor

market.

Women's traditional role of wife and mother is no longer appealing, and

young housewives perceive their situation

more as a necessity than as a choice.

Working mothers declare themselves more

satisfied than housewives and

mothers, although they are weighed down by an

enormous amount of work when one adds the work in the house to the

work outside.

Italian men contribute very little to housework and childcare.

Even children are asked to do very little housework, and gender

differences are still present in the expectations of sons and daughters

in helping with the housework.

Often generations share housing

Even if they do not share a home, extended families may eat lunch (pranzo) and/or dinner (cena) together every day.

Elderly parents are respected and looked after, sometimes on a daily basis, whether they live at home

with their children or independently.Whether married, single or divorced, all Italians tend

to maintain very strong links with their parents, adult children, and other relatives.

Although roles have changed for women in Italy, the mother remains the dominant figure in the Italian home.

Especially if the mother also works outside the home, the Italian family dynamic can seem unfair and unbalanced.

Generally speaking, the role of mother and home maker is a much respected position in Italian society.

A “café” in Tuscany is a vary big part of life.

Cappuccino is considered a breakfast drink, so it is not served with lunch or dinner.

Friends and families often take time daily to talk and relax at their local café. Many memorable times in life happen around a table.

It was customary for the groom to carry a piece of iron in his pocket on his wedding day.

The bride's veil covered and protected her from evil spirits.

When the wedding day came to an end, the newly married couple shattered a vase or glass into many pieces. The number of pieces represented the expected number of years they would be happily married.

At some modern weddings, a pair of white doves is released into the air as a symbol of the couple's love and happiness.

It is food and the sharing of a meal which "unites" the young couple with friends and family and sets the tone of celebrating their union and the union of their two families, as well.

Antipasto is served first and includes such foods as pickled peppers, olives, stuffed mushrooms, salami, mortadella, and calamari.

A multi-course dinner follows, with many, many courses. Typical foods include pastas, soups, meats, and fruits.

Wine and other beverages accompany dinner. To complete the dinner, each guest receives a slice of wedding cake. Coffee, espresso or other beverages are served as an accompaniment.

Italians seem to expect differences in power between people, yet they are often cynical about persons in positions of authority. Italians love to ridicule authority and people in positions of power. Breaking petty rules is a source of amusement for many Italians.

Personal titles are very important in Italy. Until you are invited to use someone's first name, you should always say "Signore" or "Signora" followed by their last name.

Italian businesses are primarily owned by individuals and families. Business is preferably done with people with which one is familiar. Italian decision-making is done behind the scenes, among the in-group. Business meetings are then used to ratify the decision and communicate it to others.

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