Divorse Flashcards
What family’s are related to divorse?
Extended family
Lone parent family’s
Reconstituted family
Cohabiting
What is divorce?
Is the legal end to a marriage
What is empty shell marriage?
When a couple are still married and live in the same house but lead seperate lives
They may stay together for the sake of children, family, religious or economic reason
What is sepertation?
When a couple live apart but are still legally married
What have happened to divorce rates?
They have increased
What are divorce rates?
The number of divorces per 1000 married population per year
Claims that can be made regarding divorce?
-The younger a couple are when they get married, the more likely they are to get divorced
-34% of marriages will end in divorce by their 20th wedding anniversary
-Silver splitters: the number of people aged over 60 who are divorcing has risen by 45% since 2002
What are the 4 significant divorce acts?
-1949 Legal aid
-1969 Divorce law reform act
-1984 Matrimonial and family proceedings act
-2020 Divorce law
What is Legal aid 1949?
Legal aid was made available for divorce extending divorce to the poor
LA- money for divorce
What is divorce law reform act 1969?
No longer a guilty party
Proof of irretrievable breakdown of marriage is required to have evidence
Unreasonable behaviour or years of separation
(Matrimonial offence is the grounds to a divorce, before 1969 you had to have one this included cheating or abuse etc)
What is the matrimonial and family proceedings act 1984?
The amount of times before application of divorce can be made was reduced to one year
What is the divorce law 2020?
Divorcing couples will no longer have to be blame each other for the breakdown of marriage
New law to reduce family conflict, couples can now make a joint application
What are the 9 reasons for increasing divorce rates since 1920?
-Changes in law
-Changes in society
-Rising expectation of marriage
-Growing secularisation
-Changing social attitudes
-Contraception
-Privatised nuclear family
-Reduced functions of the family
-Increased life expectancy
Reasons for increasing divorce rates- Changes in the law?
Due to law changes its now cheaper and easier
Particular in 1970s and 80s
Those changes are a reflection on the attitudes on laws wouldn’t change if its not something we wanted
Reasons for increasing divorce rates- Changes in society?
Divorces are now initiated and granded to 2/3rd of women
Suggesting women are more likely to be satisfied in marriage
-Feminists would say that the quality of woman’s expectations of relationships are higher as women won’t put up with patriarchal relationship
Reasons for increasing divorce rates- Raising expectations of marriage?
Parsons and Fletcher
Suggest couples (Mainly women) expect more from relationships the mothers or grandparents
-Love companionship have become the key to successful ,marroges
This could be due to changing norms, women now in employment
-Lack of extended family to seek reassurance now just divorce
Reasons for increasing divorce rates- Growing secularisation?
Religions declining so now people aren’t worried about divorce
-Their won’t be any consequences as religious values won’t prevent them on getting divorced like in the past
Reasons for increasing divorce rates- Changing social attitudes?
Divorce more socially acceptable, we see celebrity’s getting divorced and remarried
Now have celebrating divorce cards and cakes
Reasons for increasing divorce rates- contraception?
Could lead to conflict as one might want to get pregnant other might not
Adultery more common
As theirs contraception, no child to keep marriage together Reasons for increasing divorce rates-
Reasons for increasing divorce rates- privatised nuclear family?
Changed from extended family to nuclear family
-NF less likely to seek extended family for marital advice so people resorting to divorce
Reasons for increasing divorce rates- increased life expectancy?
As life expectancy increases the number of years we are in marriages has increased
More time for marriage to go wrong so more people divorcing
Silver splitters
Reasons for increasing divorce rates- Reduced functions of the family?
Parsons argued traditional family functions have transfered to other social institutions
Marriage is less of a necessity so there’s fewer bonds
-Compatibility is an important dimension in contemporary marriage and if that disappears then we cant hold marriage together
-Confluent love- a deep personal emotional connection and once the love goes there’s nothing to hold relationship together
PM view on rising divorce-individualisation?
People are under less pressure of traditions by extended family religion and cultures
Have freedom to pursue goals and be selfish
-This increases as people now likely to choose what they want
PM view on rising divorce- Conflict?
Beck and Beck Gernsheim
Thiers more potential of conflict between men and women
Natural clash is due to requirement of marrige
Men and women want different things
PM view on rising divorce- Choice?
Cultural and economic change means people have greater range of lifestyle change and living arrangements for them
Now theirs more family diversity for change to get married
Recent peak in divorce?
Empty shell
Divorce act
Reason for decline in divorce rates?
Greater diversity for ethnic groups, might be religious so marriage is more important so less divorce
