families and households Flashcards
Murdock’s view on family
SEER
sexual, economic, education and reproduction
Murdock evaluation (4)
ignores same sex families
families may have other functions e.g. love
Nayyar- the mothers brothers look after the children
Marxists argue it reproduces capitalism.
Parsons view on family
nuclear family is best
1. primary socialisation of children
2. stabilisation of adult personalities
also known as the warm bath theory
Parsons evaluation
rose- tinted, ignores abuse
ignores other family types
feminist (Browne) argues housework also causes stress leading to mental illness
what is pester power
when children pester their parents in order to get the newest thing/ what they want
what is keeping up with the jones’s
when you see what people around you have and therefore want it too
what is the family according to marxists
the family is a…
unit of consumption
who are the three key Marxist speakers
Engels, Althusser and Zaretsky
what is Engels argument
the family is like a business arrangement
men provide money etc while women act like a prostitute and provide an heir.
this keeps the wealth within the hands of the bourgeoisie.
what is an evaluation of Engels
it is not very romantic as it sees women as prostitutes
not all families want children
only talks about the nuclear family and ignores family diversity
what is Althusser’s argument
Althusser believes the family have the function of the ISA (ideological state apparatus) this is where the proletariat are taught that capitalism is right and prevents them from rebelling
what is an evaluation of Althusser
ignores social mobility in which families are given the ability to move social class if they work for it
as well as this feminists argue Marxists place too much emphasis on capitalism while ignoring other inequalities
what is Zaretsky’s argument
the family acts as a cushioning effect and the woman comforts the man when he comes home from the stress of the workplace
the family is also a place in which men get to be in charge, ‘the king of the castle’
what is an evaluation of Zaretsky
outdated as women now also work (duel earner families)
ignores the positives of the family
what is patriarchy
a society dominated by men
what do feminists believe are the roles of the family are
socialising girls to accept subservient roles and socialising women to accept the housewife role
what are the three types of feminism
liberal, radical and Marxist
how many women a week are killed by (ex) partners
3 a week
what do liberal feminists argue
things aren’t completely equal at the moment however they are improving through laws and policies e.g. Equal Pay Act 1970
Somerville argues that things are improving however recognises further changes need to be made
what is an evaluation of liberal feminists
radical feminists argue they are too happy with the changes already made and don’t recognise how wide gender inequality is
what do Marxist feminists argue
that women are exploited by both patriarchy and capitalism
what does Marxist feminist Ansley argue
women are the ‘takers of shit’
what does Marxist feminist Beechy argue
- women reproduce the labor force
2.women are a ‘reserve army of cheap labour’
what do radical feminists argue
that women should live in matrifocal households (only women)
what is an evaluation of radical feminists
they make all men look bad
not all women want to live without men/ be a lesbian
what happens to sons of mothers?
what is the triple shift
emotional work, career and domestic work
who argued the triple shift
Duncombe and Marsden
what is the new right preferred family
nuclear