Redefining the Role of Altruism in Shaping Household Development

Abstract

Abstract

The paper examines the current challenges to households in the face of post-material neo-liberal society. The paper also discusses the structural changes in the family which bear impact on the problematic aspects of children, young and the aged one in households. Family nurtures an individual, creates and maintains emotional bonding and helps socialization. Household altruism is found declining in the gradual waning of traditional household economy for the existence of joint utility function and for the distribution of household income. This has resulted new challenges to elderly people, adolescents and women members of households. The paper, while examining the communication technology induced change to society, observe the level of change and intervening agents of change, in line with current issues and challenges to women, elderly and adolescents. The paper examines the complex relationship among the identified variables such as household altruism and use of mobile phone technology, education and longing for liberty. It emerges from the study that there is no direct co relation between education and longing for liberty, however, the possession of mobile phone can lead to increasing desire for emancipation among the members of households.