Families And Households (LATS)

Question 1

What are LATS?

Answer 1

Living Apart Together, couples in long-term relationships but choose to live in separate households.

Question 2

What does Levin regard about LATS?

Answer 2

He argues LATS are a new form of family, an alternative to marriage or cohabitation which challenges the traditional concept of the nuclear family.

Question 3

What does the growth in LATs arise from?

Answer 3

Arises through changes in social norms.

Question 4

Does LATs conform to Giddens ‘pure relationship’ based on self interest and emotional needs.

Answer 4

Yes

Question 5

What is Giddens ‘pure relationship’?

Answer 5

Involves opening out to eachother, individuals decide to carry on maintaining their relationship because it meets their emotional and sexual needs.

Question 6

Why do people do LATs?

Answer 6

Levin argues there are three reasons
1. Existing responsibilities - may be existing responsibilities for other people, eg, children living at home or elderly relatives
2. Practical reasons - couples may work or study in different places
3. Avoiding risk - couples may want to avoid risk of re-creating the conditions that led to the breakup of a former relationship