familly diversity Flashcards
functionalism ask the nuclear family - Parsons
Parsons - nuclear family is the uniquely suited for meeting the needs of society for geographically + socially mobile workforce so that socialisation of young + stabilisation of adult personalities
other family types of dysfunctional, abnormal, deviant as they do not meet functions required by uni
the new eight and the nuclear family
expressive and industrial roles down by man and woman
nuclear family is natural + based on fundamental biological differences for a place of harmony + contentment
increase of family diversity will cause social problems
lone mothers cannot discipline children properly
like parent families leave boys without male role model leads to delinquency, educational failure
such fams are poorer so a burden on taxpayers
what is the cause of societal collapse according to the New Right
Lone parents families
who analysed data from parents with children and what did he find
Benson
analysed data from 15,000 babies , rate family breakdown much higher in cohabiting coupled compared to 6% of married couples
why is marriage more stable according to Benson
marriage allows commitments so they have responsibility of family
what is the only way to prevent social disintegration according to new right
to rerun to traditional values e.g a nuclear family
what types of laws undermine the conventional family and how to fix this according to Benson
laws as easy access to divorce, wide availability of welfare benefits undermine the conventional family
benson - argue gov must encourage couples to marry by policies that supports marriage
why does the feminist Oakley criticise the New Right
new right work guy assume that husband + wives roles are fixed by biology
cross cultural studies shows great variation in roles genders perils in family
what do feminists argue about nuclear families
nuclear families allow the continual patriarchal oppression of women
it prevents women from working, keeps them financially dependent, denies them if equal decision making
what is a criticism of Sewell
there are no studies that show that children of lone parent families more likely to be delinquent
what is the cause of martial breakdown according to this sociologist
cohabitation amongst poorer social groups is higher
poverty causes breakdown in relationships rather than decision not to marry
what is the neo conventional family
Chester - neo conventional family has a clear division of labour as Parsons said but they are dual - earners
people ignore that people have or may spend the rest of their lives in nuclear
family
most people live in a household headed by married couple
adults marry have children
most marriages continue to death, must divorces remarry
cohabitation increased but most couples it is a temporary place before marrying
births outside marriage have increased indicating that most people are committed to bringing up children as a couple
the Rapoports - five types of family diversity
organisational diversity - joint conjugal + two wage earners etc
cultural diversity - cultural religious ethnic groups have diff family structure
social class diversity - income differences, class differences in childrearing
life stage diversity - young,retired,newlyweds
generational diversity- historical experiences differ
Which postmodernist argues that family in society is not chaotic
Cheal - we have entered a new era society that is new + chaotic
no longer a single dominant family type, family structures are now fragmented into diff ones
what is an advantage of family diversity
it gives individuals the chance to construct their families to meet their needs
what is a disadvantage of family diversity
freedom of relationships means a greater risk of instability
these relationships are most likely to be broken up
which sociologist argues that family diversity has benefited women
Stacey - family diversity has enabled them to be freed from patriarchal oppression to change family arrangements to their needs
history interviews of case studies in Silicon Valley California
women more than men were argents of changes in the family
women she interviewed rejected the traditional housewife- mother role. returned to education as adults, improved prospects, divorced and re- married to better suit their needs
Pam married young, divorced then re-married. she cohabited several years before re- marrying . she created a family type from divorced extended families
what does this postmodernist argue about making generalisations
Morgan - it is pointless trying to make large scale generalisations about family
family is simply whatever arrangements those involved choose to make their own families
sociologists should focus attention on how people create their own diverse family types
what sociologists explain the effects of increasing individual choice upon society
Giddens + Beck
the individualisation of thesis argues that social structures e.g class, gender, ethnicity
have lost influence on us
in the past people lives have lost influence on us . in the past we were defined as by their social roles
by individualisation we have become freed from social roles + structures to choose how we lead our lives
how has the transformation of a more equal relationship between men and women happened
- contraception allowed sex + intimacy rather than the reproduction to become main reason for relationships existence
- women gained independence from feminism action because of greater opportunities in the workplace
what were traditional families held by in the past according to Giddens
traditional families were held by external forces rather like the government, or marriage contract + norms against + sex outside of marriage
in contrast couples today are free to define their relationship themselves rather than acting out roles they are expected to do not a til death do us part mindset anymore
what holds relationships together now according to Giddens
it is not social norms, traditions, religion, instead it is intimacy + choice + equality
this is the ‘pure relationship’. relationships no longer bound by traditional norms. they exist to solely meet needs of couples
they stay together for love, in their own interests, not for duty + sake of children
why is the pure relationship causing more instable relationships
personal relationships is a rolling contract that causes them to be unstable, it can be ended by both partners rather than permanent commitment causes lone parent families
why are same -sex relationships causing more democratic and equal relationships
same sex relationships do not have the stigmatisation of having to do roles as they are absent
enables them to serve their own needs
