Families FR Flashcards
What are the theoretical perspectives on family policy in sociology?
Functionalism:
Marxism:
Feminism:
Social policies help individuals conform to societal norms and values.
Policies exploit individuals and reinforce societal inequalities.
Differing views on whether policies reinforce patriarchy or promote equality.
How do functionalists view family policy?
Traditional Functionalists (e.g., Parsons):
Modern Functionalists:
Support policies like tax incentives for married couples to reinforce the nuclear family.
Prefer minimal state intervention unless there’s dysfunction in the family (e.g., divorce, domestic violence).
What is the Marxist critique of family policy?
State Serving Elites:
Free Childcare Suspicion:
Donzelot’s View:
Policies benefit the ruling class under the guise of helping the working class.
Viewed as benefiting the ruling class by keeping workers in the workforce.
Policies allow the state to police the family, enforcing ruling class ideologies through institutions like education and healthcare.
What are the feminist perspectives on family policy?
Radical Feminists:
Liberal Feminists:
Criticisms:
Policies reinforce patriarchal norms (e.g., child benefits paid to women reinforcing them as primary caregivers).
Use policies to promote equality (e.g., divorce reform, equal pay, and sexual discrimination laws).
Structural inequalities remain, and austerity policies disproportionately impact women and children.
What were the key family policies under the Conservative governments from 1979 to 1997?
Child Support Agency (1993):
Section 28 (1988):
Back to Basics Campaign:
Ensured absent fathers paid child maintenance.
Prevented promotion of homosexuality in schools.
Promoted traditional family values.
What were the key family policies under New Labour from 1997 to 2010?
Sure Start and EMA:
Same-Sex Relationship Policies:
Working Family and Child Tax Credits:
Targeted low-income families for educational support.
Legal recognition and adoption rights for same-sex couples.
Helped families back into work.
What were the key family policies under the Coalition government from 2010 to 2015?
Shared Parental Leave: Allowed parents to split maternity leave.
Same-Sex Marriages (2013): Legalized same-sex marriages.
Benefits cap, two-child limit for benefits, and bedroom tax.
What are the feminist perspectives on the family?
Liberal Feminists:
Marxist Feminists:
Radical Feminists:
Argue for progress towards gender equality in family life through changing social policies.
Focus on the exploitation of women by both capitalism and patriarchy, emphasizing unpaid labor.
Highlight the patriarchal nature of the family and power imbalances favoring men.
What is the liberal feminist view on family policy?
March of Progress: Social policies have enabled women to be more ambitious in their careers, changing gender roles.
Impact of Policies: Policies like the Equal Pay Act and Sex Discrimination Act have promoted equality.
Reproductive Rights: Legalization of abortion and access to contraception have given women control over family planning.
How have liberal feminists impacted views on marriage and divorce
Divorce Reform Act (1969): Made it easier for women to leave marriages, increasing female-initiated divorces.
What is the Marxist feminist view on domestic labor?
Unpaid Labor: Women are expected to do unpaid labor at home, including childcare and housework, even while employed.
Dual Burden/Triple Shift: Women juggle paid work, unpaid domestic labor, and emotional support roles.
What do radical feminists say about power dynamics in the family?
Patriarchal Control: Families are unequal, with males exerting physical, psychological, sexual, and financial control.
Social Expectations: Women are socialized into passive and submissive roles, reinforcing gender inequality.
What are the criticisms of feminist perspectives on the family?
Different branches of feminism have varying views on women’s roles and choices, This diversity can lead to conflicting ideas
Critics argue that certain feminist perspectives may prioritize the concerns and experiences of white, middle-class women, thereby overlooking the unique challenges faced by women from marginalized communities.
How has feminism impacted family life?
Changing Gender Roles: Greater equality and shared responsibilities within the household.
Family Structures: Increased lone parent and reconstituted families, and changes in marriage and childbearing patterns.
What are the main ideas of Zaretsky on the family?
Unit of Consumption:
Safe Haven:
Support for Capitalism:
Family as consumers rather than producers in modern capitalism.
Family as a psychological refuge from the alienation of work.
Family structure prevents worker revolts by fostering dependence on wages.
