fᥲmιᥣιᥱs Flashcards
Say as much as you remember about Zaretsky’s theory.
ZARETSKY (MARXIST)
-> family cushions and distracts people from the reality of capitalism, especially for the working class
-> reinforces existing inequalities as a site of patriarchal structure where women’s unpaid labour is exploited and is essential to create and socialise new members of the workforce
-> family is a unit of consumption, promoting capitalism by buying material products targeted at families, such as toys
-> can be criticised for having an outdated view of gender norms and claiming there is only one worker, male, in the family, when many families are now dual-career
According to Zaretsky, what are two functions of the family?
-> family cushions and distracts people from the reality of capitalism, especially for the working class
-> reinforces existing inequalities as a site of patriarchal structure where women’s unpaid labour is exploited and is essential to create and socialise new members of the workforce
According to Zaretsky, what is the family?
-> family is a unit of consumption, promoting capitalism by buying material products targeted at families, such as toys
What are criticisms of Zaretsky?
-> can be criticised for having an outdated view of gender norms and claiming there is only one worker, male, in the family, when many families are now dual-career
Say as much as you remember about Oakley’s theory.
OAKLEY (FEMINIST)
-> interviewed 40 women in London and found that 70% were unhappy in their marriage due to unequal division of labour
-> called this the dual burden, where women are expected to complete both paid and domestic work
-> she argued that girls from a young age are forced into gender stereotypes through canalisation and that the ‘cereal-packet family’ and reinforces these stereotypes
-> her low sample size is unrepresentative and cannot be generalised
-> she neglects the role children play in their own socialisation and their ability to reject gender roles
What did Oakley do and what did she find?
-> interviewed 40 women in London and found that 70% were unhappy in their marriage due to unequal division of labour
-> called this the dual burden, where women are expected to complete both paid and domestic work
What did Oakley say about young girls?
-> she argued that girls from a young age are forced into gender stereotypes through canalisation and that the ‘cereal-packet family’ and reinforces these stereotypes
What are criticisms of Oakley?
-> her low sample size is unrepresentative and cannot be generalised
-> she neglects the role children play in their own socialisation and their ability to reject gender roles
Say as much as you remember about Delphy and Leonard’s theory.
DELPHY AND LEONARD (RADICAL FEMINISTS)
-> men benefit the most from exploiting women’s unpaid domestic labour, which is undervalued despite being essential to the family
-> housework benefits the patriarchy, keeps men in charge and creates a familial hierarchy where women are subordinate to their husbands
-> the family is a key site for the reproduction of patriarchal norms
-> neglect the existence of egalitarian families that share power between members equally and have a strong feminist agenda
What did Delphy and Leonard say about women’s unpaid labour?
-> men benefit the most from exploiting women’s unpaid domestic labour, which is undervalued despite being essential to the family
-> housework benefits the patriarchy, keeps men in charge and creates a familial hierarchy where women are subordinate to their husbands
What did Delphy and Leonard say about the family?
-> the family is a key site for the reproduction of patriarchal norms
What are criticisms of Delphy and Leonard?
-> neglect the existence of egalitarian families that share power between members equally and have a strong feminist agenda
Say as much as you remember about Parsons (1959)’s theory.
PARSONS (1959) (FUNCTIONALIST)
-> two functions to the family:
* primary socialisation (teaching children the norms and values of society)
* stabilisation of adult personalities (provides emotional support to the parents and allows them to express themselves through their children) -> ‘warm-bath’ theory, where a man comes home from work and his family feels like a relaxing warm-bath to de-stress
-> men perform an instrumental role (breadwinner, discipline) and women an expressive role (nurturing and supportive)
-> only studied American, middle-class nuclear families and overlooks family diversity and dysfunctional families
According to Parsons, what are the two functions of the family?
-> two functions to the family:
* primary socialisation (teaching children the norms and values of society)
* stabilisation of adult personalities (provides emotional support to the parents and allows them to express themselves through their children) -> ‘warm-bath’ theory, where a man comes home from work and his family feels like a relaxing warm-bath to de-stress
What did Parsons say about gender roles?
-> men perform an instrumental role (breadwinner, discipline) and women an expressive role (nurturing and supportive)
What are criticisms of Parsons?
-> only studied American, middle-class nuclear families and overlooks family diversity and dysfunctional families
Say as much as you remember about Murdock’s theory.
MURDOCK (FUNCTIONALIST)
-> conducted a survey of 250 societies and found that the nuclear family exists within all cultures and societies
-> identified four functions of the family:
* sexual (regulates sexual behaviour)
* reproductive (creates the next generation)
* economic (providing for the members of the family)
* educational (to teach culture - norms and values)
-> he idealises the nuclear family and ignores inequalities within it such as the exploitation of women’s labour
What was Murdock’s study and findings on the family?
-> conducted a survey of 250 societies and found that the nuclear family exists within all cultures and societies
According to Murdock, what are the 4 functions of the family?
-> identified four functions of the family:
* sexual (regulates sexual behaviour)
* reproductive (creates the next generation)
* economic (providing for the members of the family)
* educational (to teach culture - norms and values)
What are criticisms of Murdock?
-> he idealises the nuclear family and ignores inequalities within it such as the exploitation of women’s labour
Say as much as you remember about the Rapoports’ theory.
RAPOPORTS (POST-MODERNISTS)
-> the family is growing more diverse and moving beyond the traditional model of the nuclear family
-> identified 5 types of family diversity using secondary sources (CLOCS)
* culture (beliefs and values)
* life course (family type may change over time)
* organisation (conjugal roles - patriarchal or symmetrical)
* cohort (the norm of family type has changed - divorce has less stigma)
* social class (might live in extended for financial reasons, or have a nanny)
-> outdated and sociologists such as Chester argue that they overstate the extent of family diversity
What did the Rapoports say about family types?
-> the family is growing more diverse and moving beyond the traditional model of the nuclear family
According to the Rapoports, what are the five types of family diversity and what research method did they use to identify these?
-> identified 5 types of family diversity using secondary sources (CLOCS)
* culture (beliefs and values)
* life course (family type may change over time)
* organisation (conjugal roles - patriarchal or symmetrical)
* cohort (the norm of family type has changed - divorce has less stigma)
* social class (might live in extended for financial reasons, or have a nanny)
What are criticisms of the Rapoports?
-> outdated (1982) and sociologists such as Chester argue that they overstate the extent of family diversity
