Families

Question 1

What did Somerville say about the family? (Liberal)

Answer 1

Less radical, suggests policy reform can improve family life for women rather than revolutionary change and argues feminists fail to acknowledge progress.

Question 2

What did Frans ansley argue about women? (Marxist feminist)

Answer 2

Argues women absorb anger that would otherwise be aimed at capitalism and partner > domestic violence.

Criticism: family existed before capitalist societies.

Question 3

What did Andreas say about the triple shift and what is the BCS study?

Answer 3

‘Dark side of family life’

BCS= 1/6 of all crime is domestic violence

Question 4

What are the criticisms of radical feminists?

Answer 4

Functionalist/NR: women suit expressive role as there is better socialisation in nuclear family as women are more caring/nurturing.

Chester/neo-conventional: we have equality, no need for change

Radical feminism is sexist

Question 5

What did Marx and Engels say about the family (Marxist,20th)

Answer 5

Before capitalist system emerged there was no family structure everyone shared labour/classless society-Marx(primitive communism), but as people gained wealth separate classes evolved and the nuclear family allowed capitalism to flourish and prevents proletariat from rising up.

Question 6

What did Engels say about women In the capitalist 3 functions?

Answer 6

Inheritance of wealth: ‘women are mere instrument for production of children’

Question 7

What did conservative MP Patrick Jenkin say about women?

Answer 7

‘I don’t think that mothers have the same right to go to work as fathers do’

Question 8

What did murray say about ‘us vs them’

Answer 8

There is an underclass (unemployed on benefits etc.) people should marry pay taxes and socialise children properly to create better society.

People who support are Murdock and Parsons who believe nuclear is ideal, Mclanahan and Booth believe sp families lead to stress and Somerville believes nuclear is norm.

Criticise: Rapaport and Rapaport (diversity), Cashmere(1 good parent better than none) and Chester (neo-conventional).

Question 9

What did Beck, Giddens and Stacey argue about Post modernism?

Answer 9

Beck: no longer single ideal family type(zombie family)

Giddens: individuals have greater freedom when deciding to marry,have kids etc. (PURE RELATIONSHIP= When individuals decide to maintain relationship to meet emotional needs)

Stacey: No longer dominant structure, diversity > increasing equality between sexes.

BUT greater choice can lead to instability, not everyone has choice, most remain traditional, traditions still important.

Question 10

What is the Personal life perspective?

Answer 10

Interactionist approach argues we need to investigate individual meaning/motives within family,beyond marriage etc.

Criticism: Too wide a view, ignores special bond of blood and marriage.

Criticism of postmodernism: class inequalities still relevant, gender norms still influence relationships and func argue value consensus still exists > social change still possible.

Question 11

What did Murdock study about the family?

Answer 11

Functions of the family: studied 250 families, 4 main functions are educational, economic,reproductive and sexual

Murdock also saw family as the most important function for a harmonious society and nuclear family is ideal.

Criticism: rose tinted view(many sp successful), family serves capitalist economy,traditional gender roles benefit men,ignores domestic violence.

Question 12

What did Parsons say about functional fit theory?

Answer 12

Families play different functions based on society they exist in, two main types extended(pre-ind) and nuclear(ind). Ind society requires geographical and socially mobile workforce so nuclear is better.

Criticism: Young and Willmott - pre ind more nuclear as grandparents didn’t live long, Hareven - extended best for childcare

Question 13

Marriage and divorce stats

Answer 13

Married down: 1950 - 408,000
2000 - 306,000

Divorce up: 1950 - 33,000
2000 - 155,000
Around 40% of marriages end in divorce.

No. Of children down: 1960= 2.8 2011= 2.0

Same sex marriage legal in 2013
Nuclear common but declining (25% anddown)
Cohabiting rising, over 2 MILLION.
LE: 1900 - 50,57 2013 - 90.7,94 (M,F)

Question 14

What did Rapaport and Rapaport study?

Answer 14

Family diversity, diverse in UK, nuclear not norm, shows greater freedom and acceptance of different cultures
Types of diversity: organisational(joint roles)
Cultural diversity(higher % of matrifocal is a-c)
Social class
Life stage
Generational
- Britain has accepted pluralistic society.

Question 15

What are Charles and Brannen’s views on the extended family?

Answer 15

Charles(2008) says they are all but extinct in modern Britain, however Brannen says there is a rise of beanpole families and w/c can’t afford childcare etc.

Question 16

What did Murray study with the reasons for increase in lone parent families?

Answer 16

1.Generous welfare state providing benefits to unmarried mothers and children(Murray) 2. Increase in divorce 3. Often headed by women due to widespread belief they are suited to expressive role and divorce courts usually give custody of kids to mother and less likely to give up work for children.

Question 17

What are the positive perspectives on SP families?

Answer 17

Chester: many SP families will reconstitute

Cashmere: One good better than two bad

Feminist: independence and freedom

Question 18

What are the negative views on SP families?

Answer 18

Murray: Welfare encourages sp, socialisation stunted w/o male role

McLanahan and Booth: higher rate of underachieving children in single parent families.

Question 19

How did Chester challenge R+R?

Answer 19

Saying nuclear still typical in modern society but wants to move to ‘Neo-conventional’ family similar to symmetrical, nuclear but with dual breadwinners does not see alternative family types as significant.

Question 20

What did Hirsch(2005) say the solution to an ageing pop impact/dependency?

Answer 20

Government should put money into education/training older people to postpone retirement.

Question 21

How has globalisation affected families?

Answer 21

Ballard - extended families provide support for migrants

Vertovec(2007) - wide range of cultures countries and religions > super diversity.

Question 22

What did Aries say about pre industrial society and childhood?
What did Pilcher say about modern childhood?

Answer 22

‘Idea of childhood didn’t exist’

Pilcher - feature of modern childhood is ‘seperateness’ e.g. protected by laws such as child protection act 2004

Question 23

What did Benedict argue about children in modern western societies compared to those in simpler non industrial ones?

Answer 23

Children treated differently e.g. take responsibility at early age and less value placed.

Question 24

What did Aries+Shorter argue regarding children and what did Jenks say about childhood changing? (MARCH OF PROGRESS)

Answer 24

Aries + Shorter: ‘today’s children are more valued, better cared for,protected and educated’ INF MORTALITY RATE: 154 per 1000 to 4 (1900)

Jenks: childhood is changing but not disappearing as society becomes postmodern it will continue to change > uncertainty > parents make sure children are safe.

Question 25

What are the studies from the conflict perspective on childhood?

Answer 25

Postman - childhood ‘disappearing at dazzling speed’ e.g. children wearing adult clothes (Abercrombie), TV= access to adult material.

Palmer - ‘Toxic childhood’, modern tech has damaged children, UNICEF: UK= 16th/29th for children’s well being e.g. self harm etc.

CHILD LIBERATIONISTS: Believe adults have too much control over children

Question 26

What did Firestone and Gittens say? (Child liberationists)

Answer 26

Firestone: protecting children from paid work makes them powerless and dependent.

Gittens: There is an age patriarchy (children dominated by men) e.g. over space,abuse etc.

Question 27

What did Mayall say about childhood? (New sociology of childhood)

Answer 27

Previous studies on childhood take an ‘adultist view’ (view of adult), new studies must address children themselves e.g. unstructured interviews.

Question 28

What did parsons and Murdock say about the division of labour?

Answer 28

Male=inst. Female=expr, natural and suits biological differences, mutually beneficial.

Question 29

Who studied symmetrical families?

Answer 29

Young and Willmott: March of progress view, moving away from what BOLT called the two types of conjugal roles, segregated > joint and the reason for this is the changing role of women, higher standards of living, tech etc.

Although OAKLEY: argues men say they help more than they actually do (15% housework)

Question 30

What did Boulton say about work division?

Answer 30

Women do nearly 80% of cooking and washing up (2X the amount)

Question 31

What did Giddens argue about new forms of relationships?

Answer 31

May lead to reduced gender inequalities

Question 32

What did Gershunny argue about women working full time?

Answer 32

March of progress view, has lead to more equal divisions of labour in the household.

Feminists: has not lead to equality > Hochschild: has lead to triple shift

Gershunny: women responsible for majority of housework and childcare but men do more than they used to, still not symmetrical.