family diversity Flashcards
what do functionalists say about family diversity?
functionalism is a modern sociological perspective, parsons says ‘functional fit’ between nuclear family and modern society
sees the conventional nuclear family with a division of labour based on biological differences between the husband’s instrumental role and the wife’s expressive role, as uniquely suited to the needs of modern industrial society and of family members
other family types considered as dysfunctional, abnormal and deviant
what does the new right say about family diversity?
takes a conservative view of the family and opposes diversity, sees conventional nuclear family as the only natural one
other family types unnatural and produce social problems e.g. lone parent families lack an adult male role model leading to dependency culture and delinquency, generous welfare benefits have encouraged deviant family types
what does the new right say about cohabitation?
main cause of lone-parent families is the collapse of relationships between cohabitating couples
Benson says couples are more stable when they are married, rate of divorce is lower than rate of breakups among cohabitating couples
criticisms of the new right
Oakley says new right wrongly assume that husbands and wives roles are biologically determined, cross-cultural studies show great variation in role men and women perform within the family
no evidence that children in lone-parent families are more likely to be delinquent than those brought up in a two-parent family of the same social class
the Neo-conventional family
Chester says although there is some increased diversity, the nuclear family remains dominant
only important change has been from the conventional family with a male breadwinner, to the Neo-conventional family where both spouses work (symmetrical family)
nuclear family remains the norm that most people aspire to, most still marry, bring up their children as a couple and don’t divorce
cohabitation has increased but is a temporary phase, most divorcees re-marry, many of those not currently in a nuclear family either have been or will be
statistics on household composition are just a snapshot, so don’t show these changes in individual’s life cycles
the rapoports
rapoport and rapoport disagree with Chester, see diversity as central to family today, unlike new right they see diversity as meeting people’s needs, not causing family decline, identify five types of diversity (CCLOG):
cultural - e.g. ethnic groups have different family structures
class - e.g. differences in child-rearing practices and family structure
life cycle - differences e.g. pensioner couples, parents with young children
organisational - e.g. joint or segregated conjugal roles
generational - differences e.g. attitudes in cohabitation
what do postmodernists say about family diversity?
greater family diversity in postmodern society, no longer one single, dominant, stable family structure
gives individuals greater freedom to plot their own life course but greater freedom of choice in relationships means greater risk of instability since more likely to break up
what is the individualisation thesis?
giddens and beck claim that individual self-interest now governs out actions
in the past, peoples lives defined by traditional gender and family structures with fixed roles preventing them from choosing their own life course (e.g expected to marry), although oppressive, provided stability by defining each members role
today, patriarchal family has been undermined by individualism, we have become ‘disembedded’ from traditional family structures, so free to choose how we lead our lives, giddens says reason for greater gender equality
the pure relationship
Giddens argues that individualisation thesis caused changing attitudes which has brought about the pure relationship
rather than a relationship defined by law or tradition, or for producing children, it exists solely to satisfy each partner’s needs, couples stay together because of love, happiness or sexual attraction rather than because of tradition, sense of duty or for sake of children
so it lasts only as long as it continues to meet their needs
(use to explain instability of family diversity, leads to more divorce etc)
how are same-sex couples pioneers of the pure relationship?
giddens sees same-sex relationships as leading the way towards new family types, creating equal relationships
same-sex couples not influence by tradition in the same way heterosexual couples are, so develop relationship based on choice not traditional roles, don’t have to conform to pre-existing norms
the negotiated family
beck argues that equality and individualism have created the negotiated family, which is not fixed but varies according to its members’ wishes
although more equal than the patriarchal family, it is less stable, because there is more emphasis on the needs of individuals rather than those of the family, and individuals are free to leave if these needs are not met
(use to explain instability of family diversity, leads to more divorce etc)
criticisms of the individualisation thesis?
exaggerates how much choice people have about family relationships today, in reality traditional norms that limit relationship choices have not weakened as much as claimed
wrongly sees people as disembedded, independent individuals, ignores the fact that our decisions and choices about personal relationships are made within a social context
what is the connectedness thesis?
from a personal life perspective, Smart proposed connectedness thesis as an alternative to individualisation thesis
traditional patriarchal norms and structural inequalities still limit people’s choices about relationships, identities and families e.g. women’s powerlessness compared with men means many remain trapped in abusive relationships
we are not disembedded individuals, we make decisions about relationships within a social context or ‘web of connectedness’, this challenges the pure relationship e.g. parents who divorce remain linked by their children, often against their wishes
