New forms of family in a network society

The author examines the changes that have occurred in the structure of family relations caused by the spread of social networks. The author analyzes the transformations of family ideas in traditional, industrial and post-industrial societies on the basis of the “wave” concept of A. Toffler. According to this concept the formation of a traditional family, involving joint work and living for several generations, was due to economic expediency, and the emergence of a nuclear family is caused by the growth of mobility and the transfer of family functions to social institutions. The properties of the network that allow implementing the nomadic strategy of post-industrial society (orientation towards breaking strong ties) have been identified, which contribute to the crisis of the nuclear family and generate new forms of nepotism that are not related to the long-term relationship. Such forms as virtual marriage and neonomadic kinship are highlighted and described. The mechanisms of their occurrence, the advantages and disadvantages identified by the participants of these forms are described.