Families and Kinship Flashcards
What is Murdoch’s theory of the nuclear family?
3 types of family -
Extended families
Polyamorous families
Nuclear families - Adults of both sexes, common residence, children (adoption or own), economic co-operation, approved sexual relationship
Critique Murdoch’s theory of the nuclear family
Ignores same sex couples, cohabiting families and single parent families
Cheal 2002 - any group of which consists of people in intimate relationships which are believed to endure over time and across generations
Explain how Finch’s theory of ‘display’ in families is useful in explaining contemporary families
Family is more about ‘displaying’ and ‘doing’ rather than just blood
In contemporary society some young people especially LGBT youth, are vulnerable to hate from their biological families and therefore they choose their peers as their family
What is endogamy?
Marrying inside of your own class/race/religion
What is exogamy?
Marrying outside your own class/race/religion
What is serial monogamy?
Marrying many people over time, not at the same time
Explain family of orientation
The family you are born into
Explain family of procreation
The family you create through marriage and children
What is direct affinity?
Relations through marriage by blood e.g. how a husband is related to his wife’s mother
What is secondary affinity?
Relations through marriage by marriage e.g. how a husband is related to his wife’s brother-in-law
What is collateral affinity?
Relatives of spouses relations e.g. the relation between a wife’s brother and the husbands sister
How does Janet Finch define ‘displaying’ families?
Families show to each other and relevant audiences that their actions constitute ‘doing family things’ and these relationships are family
What are the 3 profound shifts as a result of reproductive technology?
- separation of intercourses from reproduction due to the contraceptive pill
- fragmentation of the unity of reproduction - pregnancy is now possible without intercourse
- organic unity of foetus and mother can no longer be assumed
What is hypergamy?
Marrying above your social status - ‘marrying up’
What is hypogamy?
Marrying below your social status - ‘marrying down’
What percentage of marriages were civil ceremonies in 2013?
72%
What are the 3 eras of marriage?
Cherlin (2004)
Early 20th century - institutional, relevant for the eyes of the law
Mid 20th century - companionate, equal for both partners
Since 1960s - individualised, for personal reasons
What are the main characteristics of marriage naturalists and marriage planners?
Kefalas et al (2011) -
Marriage naturalists - live in rural areas, see marriage as a natural pathway to adulthood and tend to marry early
Marriage planners - live in metropolitan cities, put other goals e.g. career/owning house before marriage and tend to marry later
What is spuriousness hypothesis?
The idea that there is no link between family structures and child outcomes - instead the link is between the fact they are linked with other variables e.g. marital issues and issues with children are negatively related to class
What is selection hypothesis?
The idea that some adults have personality traits that mean they are at a higher risk of relationship issues and problematic parenting, therefore it has negative effects on children
What number of marriages in the UK end in divorce in 2012?
100,000
Which year did the first divorce between a same sex couple occur?
2015
What are the main characteristics of the children act 1989?
Joint parental responsibility
Parents should negotiate between themselves
Children’s welfare comes first
What is intensive motherhood?
Hays (1996)
A mother must recognise and respond to the child’s every desire, must have knowledge of what the experts consider proper child development and spend a good amount of time and money on it
What are the cultural contradictions linked to intensive motherhood?
The differences between being a selfless, dedicated and warm mother, and the cool headed, competitive labour market
What are ethnic penalties?
The economic and non-economic disadvantages that ethnic minorities face in the labour market compared to other ethnic groups
What is intersectionality?
Refers to the interlocking relations between different social categories e.g. class/gender/ethnicity
What are the 7 categories of abuse?
- Physical abuse
- Sexual abuse
- Physiological abuse
- Financial/material abuse
- Neglect
- Discriminatory abuse
- Institutional abuse
What is the main characteristic of the domestic violence, crime and victims act (2004, section 12)?
Powers to the courts to impose restraining orders more widely
What are the differences between men and women’s violence?
Women’s motives for violence are self defence, whereas men’s are for intimidation, coercion or to punish unwanted behaviour
Men cause more hard injuries, women are hospitalised and suffer more stress
What are Esping-Andersan’s 3 welfare states?
- Social democracies - Scandinavian countries, aim to reduce social inequality, large welfare/high state involvement in family life, prepare in advance for the cost of caring for children/the aged/helpless instead of waiting until the family’s aid has run out
- Conservative states - Germany, shaped by traditional family values, encourages family based assistance, breadwinner values - family benefits encourage stay at home mothers, minimum wages are set and minimum economic levels are secured, people have access to health/social services, state assistance only available when the families aid is exhausted
- Liberal states - USA/UK, means tested assistance aimed at low income people, encourage self reliance through the labour market, has market economic focus, encourage market solutions to social problems, minimal intervention from state
What are the main differences in teenage motherhood in the past and today?
1950/60s - majority of teen mothers were married, around 20% of children were adopted shortly after birth
2001 census - 9% married, 30% cohabited, there are few adoptions now, 25% jointly registered birth with fathers at different addresses
Why is genealogical knowledge important in some societies?
Identity, emotional attachment, structures of affection
Basis of social and cultural organisation e.g. who is marriageable/who isn’t
Inheritance, property transmission, territorial claims, residence rules
Social status and power e.g. regarding age/relation/gender
Social duties and obligations - role and task allocations e.g. education, housework, jobs, care duties
What is a virilocal residence?
Married couple lives with/near the husbands parents
What is a uxorilocal residence?
Married couple lives with/near the wifes parents
What is a avunculocal residence?
Married couple lives with/near the husbands mothers eldest brother
What is a neolocal residence?
Married couple lives separately from both families
