Despite decades of sweeping socioeconomic and cultural transformations, extended households remain widespread in many regions of the world. The mechanisms explaining this persistence are not well-established. The research reported on here investigates these mechanisms in India, where the prevalence of stem and joint households ranks among the highest in the world. Combining demographic and ethnographic data, this study compares processes of household change in two villages in India's Deccan Plateau. Results highlight key pathways by which development can contribute to both the decline and persistence of joint households. In the first village, joint households have become virtually extinct in recent years. Analyses suggest that frequent labor migrations, depopulation, and slow economic growth largely explain this decline. In the second village, there was a recent increase in the prevalence of joint households. The expansion of irrigation created economic opportunities in farming and other industries. Many young men now jointly invest in land with their father and brother(s) instead of purchasing separate houses. This suggests that agricultural improvements and the revitalization of the village economy have stimulated the formation of joint households. In both villages, ethnographic data reveal the ambivalent preferences and practical considerations underpinning residential decisions.

中文翻译：

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两个村庄的故事：印度的发展和家庭变化

尽管数十年的社会经济和文化发生了翻天覆地的变化，但大家庭在世界许多地区仍然普遍存在。解释这种持久性的机制尚不完善。这里报告的研究调查了印度的这些机制，那里的干家庭和联合家庭的流行率在世界上名列前茅。本研究结合人口统计和人种学数据，比较了印度德干高原两个村庄的家庭变化过程。结果突出了发展可能导致联合家庭衰落和持续存在的关键途径。在第一村，联户近年来几乎绝迹。分析表明，频繁的劳动力迁移、人口减少和经济增长缓慢在很大程度上解释了这种下降。在第二个村庄，最近联合住户的流行率有所增加。灌溉的扩大为农业和其他行业创造了经济机会。许多年轻人现在与他们的父亲和兄弟共同投资土地，而不是购买单独的房屋。这表明农业改良和乡村经济的振兴刺激了联合家庭的形成。在这两个村庄，人种学数据揭示了支撑住宅决策的矛盾偏好和实际考虑。这表明农业改良和乡村经济的振兴刺激了联合家庭的形成。在这两个村庄，人种学数据揭示了支撑住宅决策的矛盾偏好和实际考虑。这表明农业改良和乡村经济的振兴刺激了联合家庭的形成。在这两个村庄，人种学数据揭示了支撑住宅决策的矛盾偏好和实际考虑。