Family Diversity Flashcards
What are some ways changes in society have made the family more diverse?
AO1 (Use for a 4/6 marker learn scholars just in case though)
- Anderson: family diversity has always existed but geographical mobility and the industrial revolution made it more pronounced
- Wilmott: classic extended family has become dispersed due to a rise in living standards - people prefer and can afford to live in their own nuclear family
- Brannen: increase in female employment has led to increased family diversity and a decline in birth rate. Increased life expectancy has led to more beanpole families
What is and are examples of familial ideology?
AO2
- A dominant set of beliefs, values and images of how families are and how they ought to be
- Leach: ‘Cereal Packet Family’ - media presents ideal typical nuclear family consisting of a mum, dad, and a child of each gender
- Oakley: marketing and advertisement often tries to sell products to what is seen as a typical family. Draws upon Leach’s cereal packet family - media portrays convential family as nuclear comprised on 2 legally married adults and one or more (but not too many) children
How does Chester view family diversity?
AO1
The idea that widespread family diversity threatens the nuclear family is incorrect because:
1. Most people still get married
2. Most children are still reared by their natural parents - most births are registered with 2 parents
3. Most people live in a household headed by a married couple
4. Most people stay married - 60%
There has been an increase in family diversity but there is no major change beyond the rise of the neo-conventional family where both spouses work (similar to symmetrical family)
- Nuclear family is still the ideal people aspire to have
- Chester argues everyone lives in a nuclear family at some point - those who currently don’t is because of where they are in their life cycle
How can we analyse the neo-conventional family?
AO3
72% of women work now
What is the Rapoports view of family diversity?
AO1
- The nuclear family is in decline and is no longer the dominant family type
- British families have adopted a pluralistic society where cultures and lifestyles are more important and diverse
- Family diversity reflects that we have greater freedom of choice and the widespread acceptance of different cultures in today’s society
Family diversity is a positive response to people’s needs and wishes
How can we analyse the Rapoports?
AO3
- Postmodernists would support that family diversity reflects greater freedom of choice - ‘pick n mix society’
- Very different to the New Right’s view that family diversity is deviant and abnormal
What are the 5 types of family diversity according to the Rapoports?
AO1
- Orginisational diversity: the differences in the way family roles are organised e.g. joint VS segregated conjugal roles
- Life-stage diversity: family structures differ according to stage reached in life cycle e.g. newly weds - nuclear - empty nest - singleton widow
- Generational diversity: older and younger generations have different attitudes reflecting different historical periods lived in e.g. rise in divorce and cohabitation
- Social class diversity: differences in family structure and child rearing can be due to class e.g. MC are more likely to have joint conjugal roles and democratic way of raising children whereas WC have harsher discipline and separated conjugal roles
- Cultural diversity: some religious and ethnic groups have different family structures e.g. south asians more likely to live in extended family, carribean more likely to have single mother
How can we analyse the Rapoports reasons for family diversity?
AO3
- Rise in immigration makes cultural diversity especially relevant
- Islam is the fastest growing religion - less common for muslim women to work
- Bhatti: found through interviews on Asian families that they have a strong emphasis on family honour (‘izzat’) - mothers felt their duty was in the household and fathers took on role of breadwinner - most likely to maintain traditional nuclear families
- Madood: found that younger generations often clash with older generations as they rebel against traditional values e.g. marrying outside of community (can use as eval for Bhatti)
- Chamberlain: siblings, cousins, uncles and aunts play a more important role in the raising of children in afro-carribean households than in white british families
What are the reasons for family diversity according to Allan and Crowe?
AO1
- Divorce causes lone parent families
- Lone parents have rised due to more births outside of marriage due to changing norms and women’s financial independence
- Cohabitation has become increasingly popular due to secularisation (although this isn’t universal)
- Decline in marriage - many getting married later or not at all
- Demographic changes have led to an increase in beanpole families - people having less kids and living longer
What sociologists speak about how sexuality has impacted family diversity?
AO1
- Civil Partnerships + Same-sex Marriage Act: enabled same-sex families to exist legally and caused a rise in them
- Weeks, Heaphey and Donavan: gay men and lesbians often see their households and even their friendships networks as being chosen families - who we see as our family is more important than blood or legal ties - friendship networks can be family
- Roseneil: links chosen families to the breakdown of the ‘heteronorm’ the belief that all intimate relationships should be based on heterosexuality e.g. Friends
What are the causes of family diversity according to postmodernists?
AO1
- Diversity and fragmentation: pick n mix society has created fragmentation as people can choose aspects of various cultures to identify with
- Rapid Social Change: technology, culture, media has changed family types and experiences
This has given people greater freedom in choosing family but also increased risk of instability
What does Haraven believe is the cause of family diversity?
AO1
Life course of an individual impacts the structure and dynamics pf family e.g. nuclear - empty nest - singleton - residential
What is Weeks view of family diversity?
AO1
Non-heterosexuals view family as a broader term to include friends - chosen families become an extension of their kin
What was Gabb’s view of how families differ in intimacy?
AO1
- Individuals can be attached to a wide range of people including family and friends both in and out of their households
- Quality and functional purpose - not just restricted to humans e.g. pets and dead family members are considered family
- Physical touching: there is a greater level of displayed emotions e.g. couples kissing in public
- Strong emotional attachments despite power inequalities - especially between parents and children
What is a cause of family diversity according to Stacey?
AO1
Women have more freedom than ever giving them greater control over their needs and family arrangement this has led to the rise of the divorce extended family - maintaining a relationship with past in-laws for a wider support network
