SDLP 110: Cultural Post 7

[Constantinos Beauclair-Kolomtsas]

Greek culture is a family oriented culture. It is normal for young adults to remain living with their families well into their twenties. This is even more true today with the economic crisis which is forcing members of families to be more economically interdependent with each other. Greek families also based on a patriarchal system. The father or husband is viewed as the head of the family and children adopt the father's last name, although recently changes have been made in marriage laws to allow the retention of both the mother's and the father's name in the case of divorce. The Orthodox church's important role in society reinforces the traditional patriarchal familial system, as well. Families in Greece generally have a lower amount of children compared to the United States. It is uncommon to hear of a couple with more than two children, especially in urban areas of the country, while in the United States it is relatively common.