Document Type : research
Authors
1 Ph.D. in Islamic Economics and Researcher at the Research Institute of Hawzeh and University, Qom, Iran.
2 Associate Professor, Department of Economics, Research Institute of Hawzeh and University, Qom, Iran.
Abstract
With the emergence of the new field of economics in the realm of family studies and the establishment of a sub-discipline known as family economics, the influence of conventional economics on policymaking and decision-making within family institutions has become more pronounced. This phenomenon affects the demographic structure of human societies due to economic factors. One prominent figure who has theorized in this area in recent decades is Dr. Gary Becker, who is regarded by some as a pioneer in the formulation of contemporary family economics. The critical importance of the issue of childbearing, along with Becker's influence in certain academic circles, has led to this research focusing on his ideas and theories regarding parenting. This article employs content analysis to critically examine some of his views on parenting in a comparative manner with Islamic teachings. The findings indicate that Becker's efforts to explain individual behavior concerning family, particularly in the context of parenting, have been unsuccessful in providing innovations and presenting some verifiable empirical results in specific geographical contexts. The theories he proposed, based on the assumptions of a capitalist system, lack the ability to explain social behaviors across all societies and exhibit numerous deficiencies. An overemphasis on the economic variable in human social behavior, the unknown nature of the education variable in analyses, the inadequacy of theories in certain societies, along with the gap between his ideas and Islamic perspectives, are among the significant shortcomings identified in this regard.
Main Subjects
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