Family and marriage are among the most important social institutions studied in rural sociology because they regulate kinship, inheritance, socialization, economic cooperation, and community life. Different theoretical approaches explain the structure, functions, and changing nature of family and marriage from distinct perspectives. Each approach contributes valuable insights but also has limitations, making a critical examination necessary. The structural-functional approach, associated with scholars such as Talcott Parsons and George Peter Murdock, views the family as a universal institution that performs essential functions for society. These include reproduction, socialization of children, emotional support, regulation of sexual behaviour, and economic cooperation. In rural societies, the family is often a productive as well as a reproductive unit, contributing to agriculture, livestock rearing, and household enterprises. Marriage is regarded as a socially approved institution that ensures social order and continuity. However, this approach has been criticized for presenting an idealized picture of the family, overlooking domestic conflicts, gender inequalities, and changing family forms such as single-parent households and live-in relationships. It also assumes that traditional family arrangements are naturally beneficial without adequately examining power relations. The conflict approach, influenced by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels,