Case Studies

Question 1

Nayar Tribe of South India (1792)

Answer 1

Studied by Kathleen Gough, 1959

Women take around 12 Sandbanham (warrior) husbands

Husband has no responsibility of the children

Question 2

How does the Nayar Tribe challenge Murdock’s universal form of family?

Answer 2

No marriage as understood in Western world

Biological parents not one unit

Question 3

Oneida Community, New York, 1848

Answer 3

Formed by John Humphrey Noyes

Men and postmenopausal women partnered for sex

People were allowed to breed with committee’s permission

Children raised by the community

Question 4

How did the Oneida Community challenge Murdock’s universal form of family?

Answer 4

Reproduction outside of a socially approved sexual relationship

Question 5

The Russian Experiment, after 1917 revolution

Answer 5

Socialists destroy nuclear family as it is the root of capitalism

Marriage and divorce were abolished

Children became emotionally disturbed as their parents had several partners

Question 6

How did The Russian Experiement challenge Murdock’s universal form of family?

Answer 6

Not always 2 parents socialising the children

COUNTER - absence of nuclear family disturbed the children

Question 7

Murdock‘s views on the family

Answer 7

Functions: sex drive, reproduction, economic needs, socialisation

Nuclear family is universal

Question 8

Parsons’ views on the family

Answer 8

Functions: socialisation, support (warm bath)

Functional fit for industrial society = nuclear family

Question 9

Gough’s findings on the family

Answer 9

Nayar tribe

12 Sandbanaham husbands

Biological father has no fiscal responsibility

Question 10

Sheeran’s findings on the family

Answer 10

Female Carer-Core

This unit is more common than any family type

Question 11

Anderson’s findings on the family

Answer 11

Industrialisation strengthened kinship

Preston 1851: 23% of families were extended

Question 12

Laslett’s findings on the family

Answer 12

Only 10% of pre-industrial families were extended

Looked at Parish records

Question 13

Chester’s findings on the family

Answer 13

Neo-conventional family - the aspiration

Dual wage earning has led to more symmetry

Question 14

Young and Willmott’s findings on the family

Answer 14

Bethnal Green 1957

The family is now much more symmetrical

Family diversity is evolution not revolution

Question 15

Engels’ views on the family

Answer 15

1884 - women are a reserve labour force

Question 16

Benston’s views on the family

Answer 16

Domestic labour is unvalued - 1969

Question 17

Ansley’s views on the family

Answer 17

“Takers of shit”, 1972

Question 18

Delphy and Leonard’s views on the family

Answer 18

1992

Families benefit men - ensuring his children are his

They reduce women’s opportunities

Question 19

Purdy’s ideas about the family

Answer 19

Baby strike - 1997

Question 20

Barrett and McIntosh’s ideas on the family

Answer 20

There should be no family ideology because that takes away choice

Question 21

Calhoun’s findings on the family

Answer 21

Gay and Lesbian families have greater equality as they choose their own roles

Question 22

Nicholson

Answer 22

“Difference feminism”