Historical Sociology of Family System in Qashqai Tribe

Qashqai tribe has got an old systematic history as a tribal system. The tribe has been formed based on nomadic life circumstances. Family is the smallest unit of the society and the major core of the tribe. The hierarchical system dominating the marriage issue plays a significant role. Man has the authority and is considered as the ultimate decision-maker. On the other hand, the woman is obedient to her husband and meanwhile plays a decisive role in managing family affairs.Although the family is apparently independent, the influence of relatives in various dimensions and aspects is quite noticeable. In the present study, through taking advantage of library resources and employing a descriptive-analytic research method, we have tried to investigate the major sociological issues of family in Qashqai tribe from a historical standpoint. This study reveals that from a structural viewpoint, family in Qashqai tribe is regarded to be extensive, single-spouse,and patriarchic in which the father has the final say and the marriages are inter-tribal (within the group).