Families And Households Flashcards
1
Q
Couples- Domestic Division of Labour- Parsons
A
- Instrumental role
Male breadwinner / provides for family - Expressive role
Female homemaker / socialisation of children / emotional needs of family
Based on biological differences, beneficial to both men and women
2
Q
Couples- Domestic Division of Labour- Bott
A
- Joint conjugal roles
Share housework and childcare / leisure time together - Segregated conjugal roles
Male breadwinner and female homemaker / leisure time separate
Young + Willmott- segregated conjugal roles in Bethnal Green, 1950’s
3
Q
Couples- Domestic Division of Labour- Young + Willmott
A
- The symmetrical family
March of progress- roles becoming more equal and democratic
Trend toward joint conjugal roles
Women going out to work
Men helping with housework/childcare
Leisure time together
More common in younger and more affluent couples
Due to change in women’s position, geographical mobility, new tech and high standard of living
4
Q
Couples- Domestic Division of Labour- Feminist View of Housework
A
- Oakley- criticises Y+W- exaggerated
Husbands only do pleasurable aspects of housework and childcare - Boulton- fewer than 20% husbands had major role in childcare
- Warde + Hetherington- sex-typing of domestic tasks remains strong
Men only do ‘female’ tasks when partners not around to do them
5
Q
Couples- Becoming More Equal- Impact of Paid Work
A
- Oakley
- Leading to more equal division of domestic tasks- March of progress
- Dual burden, paid work and domestic work- Feminist
6
Q
Couples- Becoming More Equal- March of Progress View
A
- Yes, Y+W symmetrical family
- Gershuny- women working full time=more equal division of labour
- Sullivan- trend of women doing less domestic work and men more
7
Q
Couples- Becoming More Equal- Feminist View
A
- No, little sign of ‘new man’ who does equal share of housework and childcare / women carry dual burden
- British Social Attitudes Survey- overall women do twice as much as men / continue to divide household tasks traditionally
8
Q
Couples- Becoming More Equal- Responsibility For Children
A
- Ferri + Smith- fathers take responsibility children in >4%
- Dex + Ward- 1% fathers took responsibility when child sick
- Braun, Vincent + Ball- 3/70 families was father main carer
- Emotion work and Triple Shift
Hochschild- emotion work- managing emotions of family and themselves
Duncombe + Marsden- triple shift- housework, paid work and emotion work
9
Q
Couples- Becoming More Equal- Responsibility For Quality Time
A
- Southerton
- Coordinating, scheduling, managing usually falls to mothers
- Becoming more difficult due to working mothers
- Different experiences of leisure time
10
Q
Couples- Becoming More Equal- Explaining Gender Division of Labour
A
- Crompton + Lyonette
- Cultural explanation- patriarchal norms and values shape gender roles
Gershuny- more likely to share housework equally if parents did
Kan- younger men do more domestic
Dunne- lesbian couples=more symmetrical as absence of norms - Material explanation- women earn less so more economically rational they do housework and childcare
Kan- for every £10,000 woman earns, 2 hours less housework per week
Ramos- when woman breadwinner, man does as much domestic labour
11
Q
Couples- Resources and Decision Making- Money Management
A
- Pahl + Vogler
- Allowance system- men give wives allowance which have to budget to meet family’s needs
- Pooling- both partners have access to income and responsibility for expenditure
12
Q
Couples- Resources and Decision Making- Decision-Making
A
- Pahl + Vogler- even when pooling, men made major financial decisions
- Edgell
Very important decisions- husband or joint but husband=final say
Important decisions- joint
Less important decisions- wife
Because men earn more
13
Q
Couples- Resources and Decision Making- Cultural and Material Explanations
A
- Gershuny + Laurie- findings support material
- Feminists- inequalities not due to differences in earnings / men being decision makers instilled through gender role socialisation / supports cultural
14
Q
Couples- Resources and Decision Making- Personal Life Perspective
A
- Meanings couples give to who controls money
- Smart- same sex couples=no importance to who controlled money as don’t have stereotypes
- Weeks- typical pattern=pooling some money for household spending and separate accounts for personal spending
15
Q
Couples- Domestic Violence- Overview
A
- Psychological, physical, sexual, financial and emotional violence/abuse
- DV is too far widespread to be the work of a few individuals
DV does not occur randomly but follows social patterns that have social causes - Dobash + Dobash- incidents set off by challenges to a man’s authority
- Walby + Allen- women more likely victims of multiple incidents
- Dar- difficult to count separate DV incidents as can be continuous
16
Q
Couples- Domestic Violence- Official Statistics
A
- Yearnshire- victims unwilling to report to police, women suffer 35 assaults before reporting- too trivial/fear of reprisal
- Cheal- police reluctant to investigate cases brought to them, as not prepared to become involved
Family is a private sphere
Agencies tend to ignore dark side
If a woman is experiencing abuse, she is free to leave
17
Q
Couples- Domestic Violence- Explanations
A
- Radical Feminist Explanation- role of patriarchal ideas, cultural values and institutions
Millett + Firestone- all societies have been founded on patriarchy / family and marriage is main source of oppression with men dominating through use of DV
Elliot- criticises- most men opposed to DV / fail to recognise female violence / not all women equally at risk of DV - Materialist explanation- economic factors like lack of resources
Wilkinson + Pickett- DV due to stress on members caused by social inequality, meaning unstable relationships, increasing conflict
Don’t explain why women are main victims / ‘takers of shit’- DV product of capitalism
18
Q
Childhood- As a Social Construct- Modern Western Notion
A
- Physically and psychologically immature / lengthy period of nurturing and socialisation as lack skills
- Pilcher- separateness
Clear and distinct life stage
Separate status from adults
Child laws / dress / products and services - Childhood=golden age of happiness and innocence / vulnerable
- Wagg- childhood=socially constructed / no universal childhood
19
Q
Childhood- As a Social Construct- Cross-cultural Differences
A
- Benedict- socially constructed as differs in cultures / children in non-industrial societies treated differently in three ways:
- Take responsibility at an early age
Punch- Bolivia- once 5, take up work
Holmes- Samoa- ‘too young’ never valid - Less value placed on obedience to adult authority
Firth- Tikopia- doing as you’re told=concession granted not expected - Sexual behaviour views differently
Malinowski- Trobriand islanders- tolerance and amused interest toward sexual explorations
20
Q
Childhood- As a Social Construct- Globalisation of Western Childhood
A
- International humanitarian and welfare agencies=imposed western norms on rest of world
Separate life stage / nuclear / innocent / dependent and vulnerable - Campaigns against child labour may be a norm for one culture but not the western one
21
Q
Childhood- As a Social Construct- Historical Differences
A
- Aries- in Middle Ages, idea of childhood did not exist
Soon after weaned, began work at early age
‘Mini adults’ with same rights, duties, skills as adults - Evidence=works of art
Children appear without any characteristics of childhood but depicted on a smaller scale- same dress, working and playing together - Shorter- high death rates encouraged indifference and neglect toward infants
22
Q
Childhood- As a Social Construct- Modern Cult of Childhood
A
- Aries- socially constructed as ideas and status changed over time / elements of modern notion of childhood emerged in 13th century:
- Schools- specialised purely in education of the young- influence of the church as saw children as fragile
- Clothing- growing distinction from adults
- Handbooks on child rearing- growing child-centredness
- 20th century=century of the child
Used to see childhood as nothing special, now we are obsessed with it - Pollock- more correct to say Middle Ages had different notion from today
23
Q
Childhood- As a Social Construct- Reasons for Changes in Position of Children
A
- Laws restricting child labour
Economic assets to economic liabilities, financially dependent - Compulsory schooling
Raising of school leaving age=extended period of dependency - Declining family size and lower infant mortality
Greater financial and emotional investment in fewer children - Industrialisation
Underlies many changes
Modern industry needs educated workforce=compulsory schooling
Higher standards of living industry makes possible=lower infant mortality
24
Q
Childhood- Future- Disappearance of Childhood
A
- Postman- childhood is disappearing at a dazzling speed
Giving children same rights as adults / growing similarities / committing crimes - Cause of emergence of childhood and disappearance=rise and fall of print culture and replacement by television culture
- Information hierarchy- sharp division between adults who can read and children who cannot
Gave adults power to keep knowledge=children are innocents
Television destroys information hierarchy - Opie- childhood is not disappearing
Overemphasises television and other factors
25
Childhood- Future- In Postmodernity
- Jenks- childhood is not disappearing but changing
- Agreed with Aries- childhood creation of modern society- vulnerable child nurtured to prepare for productive adult
- Undergoing change from modernity to postmodernity
Relationships more unstable=insecurities- relationships with children=refuge- more protective of child
- Guilty of overgeneralising- sweeping statements all children in same position
26
Childhood- Position Improved?- March of Progress View
Family become child-centred:
=Children better cared for
=Infant mortality rate better than ever
=Higher living standards and smaller families=parents afford provide for children
=Children protected harm and exploitation by laws
- Child-centred=children focal point of family
- Palmer=toxic childhood- rapid technological and cultural changes damaging children’s development=deprived of genuine childhood
27
Childhood- Position Improved?- Conflict View
- Marxists+Feminists=March of progress ignores inequality among children and between children and adults
- Inequalities among children
Gender differences
Ethnic differences
Class inequalities
- Inequalities between children and adults
Neglect and abuse
Control over space, time and bodies
Control over access to resources
- Age patriarchy=Gittins- adult domination and child dependency
Children may resist restricted status of child by acting older
28
Childhood- Position Improved?- New Sociology of Childhood
- Active agents
Play important part in creating own childhoods
Smart- children actively involved in trying to make divorce better
- Multiple childhoods
Explore diverse childhoods that exist by taking child’s viewpoint
29
Theories of the Family- Functionalist- Murdock
- Stable satisfaction of sex drive
- Reproduction next generation
- Socialisation
- Satisfaction of members economic needs
=nuclear family helps to maintain social stability
30
Theories of the Family- Functionalist- Murdock- Criticisms
- Functions can be performed equally well by other institutions
- Rose-tinted harmonious consensus view
=family serves needs of men and oppress women (feminists)
=family meets needs of capitalism (Marxists)
31
Theories of the Family- Functionalist- Parsons ‘Functional Fit’ Theory
- Parsons=functions depend on type of society in which found and determines structure
- Extended family=multi-functional
- Nuclear family
Geographically mobile=easiest to move where jobs are
Socially mobile=sons higher status than fathers so create own nuclear family that resolves status conflict
- Irreducible functions
Primary socialisation
Stabilisation of adult personalities
32
Theories of the Family- New Right
- Biologically based division of labour
- Families should be self-reliant
State welfare=dependency culture=undermines roles and leads to family breakdown
33
Theories of the Family- Marxist
- Inheritance of property
Mode of production
Primitive communism=promiscuous horde
- Engels=private property more important=ensure pass down=monogamous marriage
Women became private property of husbands
- Ideological functions
Zaretsky=cult of private life=only gain fulfilment from family life and this distracts from exploitation
- Unit of consumption
Capitalism needs consumers to buy products- family important market for this, enabling capitalism to make profits
34
Theories of the Family- Marxist- Criticisms
- Ignores variety of family structures
- Feminists=underestimate importance of gender inequalities
- Functionalists=ignore benefits family provides for its members
35
Theories of the Family- Feminist
- Liberal=gender inequality overcome by legal reforms and policy changes
March of progress
- Marxist=capitalism main cause of oppression
Reproduce labour force
Absorb men’s anger- Ansley=women are takers of shit
Reserve army of cheap labour
- Radical=patriarchy main cause of oppression
Men benefit from women’s unpaid domestic labour/sexual services
Men dominate through violence
Political lesbianism
- Difference=not all women share same experience of oppression
36
Theories of the Family- Personal Life
- Must look at meanings family members give to relationships
- Beyond ties of blood and marriage
Fictive kin / dead relatives / pets / friends
- Donor conceived children=Nordqvist+Smart
Importance of social relationships over genetic ones
When new donor, did count as family
Real second parent
37
Theories of the Family- Personal Life- Criticisms
- Understands how people construct and define relationships
- Takes too broad a view- ignoring what’s special about blood/marriage
- Recognises relatedness is not always positive
38
Demography- Population Growth
- Demography=study of population
- Births and immigration increase population
- Deaths and emigration decrease population
- Natural change=births minus deaths
- Net migration=number immigrating minus number emigrating
39
Demography- Births
- Birth rate=number of live births per 1000 of population per year
=long term decline
=has been fluctuations and baby booms after war
- Total fertility rate=average number children woman have during fertile years (15-44)
- More women remaining childless and women are having children later
40
Demography- Births- Reason For Decline
- Changes in women’s position
Increased education / abortion / contraception / access divorce
- Fall in infant mortality rate
IMR=number of infants who die before first birthday per 1000 live births per year
Fall in IMR=fall in birth rate
=nutrition / housing / sanitation
- Children as economic liability
Laws banning child labour=remain economically dependent for longer
Changing norms
- Child-centredness
Socially constructed=quantity to quality
- Effects of falling birth rate
Dependency ratio=relationship between working and non-working population
Less strain public services
41
Demography- Deaths
- Number of deaths=stable but has been fluctuations around war and outbreaks
- Death rate=number of deaths per 1000 of population per year
42
Demography- Deaths- Reasons for Decline
- Improved nutrition
McKeown=better diet accounts for half reduction in death rate
- Medical improvements
Vaccinations / antibiotics / maternity services=NHS
- Public health improvements
More effective government with power to pass and enforce laws
- Life expectancy=how long on average person born in given year can expect to live
Greatly increased
As infant mortality rate fell, life expectancy rose
43
Demography- Ageing Population
- Reasons:
Increasing life expectancy
Low infant mortality
Declining fertility
- Effects:
Strain on public services
More one-person pensioner households
Rising dependency ratio
Ageism- negative stereotyping of old as incompetent and burdens
- Policy implications:
Hirsch=new policies to finance longer old age
Paying more tax or raising retirement age
44
Demography- Ageism, Modernity and Postmodernity
- Old age in modern society:
Fixed age stages and age related identities
Identity and status determined by role in production=those excluded have dependent status and stigmatised identity
- Old age in postmodern society:
Fixed stages of life course broken down=greater choice of lifestyle
Consumption key to identity
- Inequality among old:
M/C=bigger pensions and longer life expectancy
Women=lower earnings and pensions
Subject to sexist and ageist stereotyping
45
Demography- Migration
- Migration=movement of people
- Immigration (into):
=From 1900’s=few non-whit immigrants
=From 1950’s=Caribbean, African and south Asian immigrants
=By 1980’s=non-white immigrants were quarter of those who immigrated
- Emigration (out of):
=Since 1900’s=emigrants to USA, Canada, Australia
Push factors=economic recession
Pull factors=better opportunities
46
Demography- Globalisation and Migration
- Globalisation=increased migration
- Differentiation
Super diversity=migrants now come from many countries with different legal statuses
=Cohen:
Citizens=full rights
Denizens=privileged foreign nationals
Helots=disposable labour power found in unskilled, poorly paid work
- Feminisation of migration=almost half global migrants are female
- Hybrid identities=from two or more different sources
- Transnational identities=belonging to multiple countries
- Migration and politics
Assimilationism=encourage immigrant to adopt language and values of host culture
Multiculturalism=migrants can retain separate cultural identity but may be limited
47
Changing Patterns and Family Diversity- Divorce
- Divorce=increased
- Reasons:
=Legal changes=equalising and widening grounds
=Less stigma
=Secularisation
=Higher expectations of marriage
=Women’s financial independence
=Feminist explanations
=Modernity and individualisation=unwilling to stay in marriage if fails to deliver fulfilment
48
Changing Patterns and Family Diversity- Partnerships
- Marriage=decreased
=Changing attitudes
=Alternatives
=Women’s economic independence
=Impact of feminism
=Rising divorce rates
More remarriages / later marriages / fewer church weddings
- Cohabitation=increased
=Less stigma
=Women’s improved economic position
=Trial marriage
=Alternative to marriage
49
Changing Patterns and Family Diversity- Parenting
- 1/2 all children born outside marriage
- Women having children later / remaining childless or having fewer children
- Lone parent families=increased
=1/4 all families
=Increased divorce / decline stigma
New right blame generous welfare benefits and creating dependency culture
- Reconstituted/stepfamilies=increased
=Divorce and remarriage
- Ethnic differences
=more black lone parents=high male unemployment / black women valuing independence
=larger Asian households=cultural importance extended family and support when migrating
50
Changing Patterns and Family Diversity- Extended Family Today
- Willmott=extended family not replaced by nuclear as now dispersed extended family=relative remain frequent contact
- Beanpole family=extended vertically through three generations but not horizontally
- Obligations to relatives
Finch+Mason=half sample cared for sick relative- reciprocity important as help desired to be returned
=extended family now very different to Parsons’ interpretation
51
Changing Patterns and Family Diversity- Perspectives on Family Diversity- Functionalism and New Right
- Functionalism
Conventional nuclear family / biological division of labour
- New right
Opposes diversity / conventional nuclear family only normal one / other family types produce social problems
52
Changing Patterns and Family Diversity- Perspectives on Family Diversity- Chester: Neo-Conventional Family
- Chester=nuclear family remains dominant and what aspire to have
- From conventional family to neo-conventional family=both spouses work
- Cohabitation increased but temporary phase
53
Changing Patterns and Family Diversity- Perspectives on Family Diversity- Rapoports: Five Types Family Diversity
- Rapoport+Rapoport=diversity central to family today
=Cultural
=Life cycle
=Organisational
=Generational
=Social class
54
Changing Patterns and Family Diversity- Perspectives on Family Diversity- Postmodernism
- Postmodernism=high level family diversity
=greater individualism and choice
- Individualisation thesis
Patriarchal family undermined by individualism- disembedded from traditional family structures
=pure relationship- based on love and only lasts as long as needs are met
Negotiated family=not fixed but varies according to members needs
- Connectedness thesis
Personal life perspective- Smart- alternative to individualisation thesis
=traditional patriarchal norms/structural inequalities limit choices about relationships
=not disembedded individuals- make decisions about relationships within web of connectedness=challenging pure relationship
55
Social Policy and the Family- Perspective on Policy and Family- Functionalism
- Policies help family to perform its functions
- March of progress=policies gradually improving family life
56
Social Policy and the Family- Perspective on Policy and Family- New Right
- Opposes state intervention in family life
- Criticise welfare policies for undermining families self-reliance by providing generous benefits
=dependency culture
=Murray- perverse incentives=rewarding irresponsible behaviour
- Cutting welfare spending- giving more incentive for fathers to provide for families
57
Social Policy and the Family- Perspective on Policy and Family- New Right- Influence on Policies
- Conservative governments
Banned promotion homosexuality
Child support agency=maintenance payments by absent parents
=modernisers- family diversity in policies
=traditionalists- reject diversity
- New labour governments
Rejected view of one male earner=favoured neo-conventional with policies to help both parents work
State intervention improves life for families
Civil partnerships
58
Social Policy and the Family- Perspective on Policy and Family- Feminism
- Social policies define family life in ways that benefit men and maintain patriarchy
- Land=policies assume patriarchal family to be norm
Policies act as SFP to reproduce family type
59
Social Policy and the Family- Perspective on Policy and Family- Gender Regimes
- Drew=social policies encourage or discourage gender equality
=familistic gender regimes- traditional gender division
=individualistic gender regimes- treat husbands and wives same
- State vs market
EU countries moving toward individualistic gender regimes
No march of progress toward gender equality
Since recession=pressure women take more responsibility
Neoliberal welfare policies- market rather than state to meet needs
