Family Diversity Flashcards
Modernism’s view on the nuclear family
-Functionalism & New right tame this viewpoint- see modern society as fairly fixed, clear-cut and predictable structure.
-Nuclear family is the ‘best’ type to perform essential functions for them
Functionalist view of nuclear family
-Parsons: ‘functional fit’ between mod society & nuc fam, to meet the needs of the geographically & socially mobile workforce.
-It performs ‘irreducible functions’: P socialisation kids & Stab of adult pers
Therefore see other types as dysfunctional/abnormal
New right view on the nucleur family
-Conservative, anti-feminist persp on the family.Firmly oppose family diversity
-Only ‘normal’ family is the trad conventional patriarchal nuclear family (clear cut division of labour between husband & wife based on biology)
-The corner stone of society: refuge, contentment, harmony
What do the new right oppose?
-Most changes in the family patterns we have looked at, gay, cohabit ect
-Argue the decline of trad nuclear family/growth of diversity are the cause of many social problems
Which particular family type are the new right especially concerned with?
-growth of the LPF, see them as harmful to children because
-LPM can’t discipline children properly
-LPF leave boys without an adult male RM, edu failure, delinquency
-More likely poorer, burden to state welfare and taxpayers
Benson (main cause of LPF)
-analysed 15,000 babies parents -found in first 3yrs of the babies lives…
-Rate of family breakdown much higher among cohabitating couples (20%-6% married couples)
-NR: only marriage can provide a stable env to raise children, Requires a deliberate commitment to each other, whereas cohabitation allows partner to avoid commitment & responsibility
What evidence have new right thinkers used to support the view that both the family & society are ‘broken’
-Only a return to trad values, including the value of marriage, can prevent social disintegration and damage to children
-They regard laws & policies ie easy access to divorce, gay marriage, widespread availability of benefits as undermining the conventional family
-Benson argues that gov needs to encourage couples to marry by means of policies that support marriage
Feminists criticism of the new right?
-Oakley: NR wrongly assumes husbands & wives roles are fixed by biology. Cross-cultural studies show great variations in the roles M & W perform in the family-she believes NR view is a negative reaction against the feminist campaign for women’s equality.
-Nuclear familys based on patriarchal oppression of W & fundamental cause of G inequality- prevents W working, keeps them financially dependent on M & denied equal say in decision-making
Further critiques of New Right
-No evidence that children in lone-parent families are more likely to be delinquent than two-parent homes in same social class
-The NR view that marriage equals commitment, while cohabitation doesn’t has been challenged (meanings)
-Smart: cohabitation higher among poorer social groups- points out poverty may be causes of breakdowns of relationships-not decisions
Chester: the neo-conventional family
-Recognises there’s been some increased family diversity in recent years-however unlike NR doesn’t regard this as very significant nor negative
-Only important change is a move from dominance of the conv nucleur family, to neo-conventional family (other than this sees no evidence of other major changes)
what’s the conventional family
Nuclear family described by NR and Parsons, with its division of labour between male BW and female HM
What is the neo conventional family
-A dual earner family, both spouses go to work not just husband. Similar to Y&W symmetrical family.
What does chester argue remains the ideal family
-Like functionalists sees the nuclear family as dominant, although many aren’t part of one, C says this is due to the life cycle ie were part of one in the past (divorcees, young ppl ect) or will be in the future
-Important difference to Funct: C sees change from conv to neo-c
Why are statistics on household composition misleading?
Only show a snapshot of a single moment in time. Don’t show fact that majority spend most their time in a nucfam
ie…
-Most households headed by married couple
-Most married adults have children
-Most marriages continue until death-divorce increased but most remarry
What do the Rapoports argue?
-Unlike chester: argue diversity is of central importance in understanding family life today- moved from dominant trad to a range of types as they have adapted to pluralistic society (more diverse lifestyle/cultures) to the, it reflects greater freedom of choice & acceptance of other cultures
How does the Rapoports views differ from the New right?
-See diversity as a positive response to people difference needs and wishes- not as abnormal/deviation from assumed norms of proper nucfam.
What are the 5 different types of family diversity in Britain (Rapoports)
-Organisational Diveristy: differences in ways family roles are organised. eg some couples have joint CR & 2 wage earners-other segregated CJ & 1 wage-earner
-Cultural diversity: different cultures, religious and ethnic groups have diff family structures eg higher prop of F-headed LPF among African-C fams
-Social Class diversity: Differences in structures partly result of income differences, eg childrearing patterns
-Life-stage Diversity: structures differ according to stage reached in life cycle eg young newlyweds w/ dependent kids, retired w/ grown kids ect
-Generational diversity: Older & younger gens have different attitudes/experiences that reflect historical periods eg views abt morality of divorce
Postmodernism view of family diversity (2 key characteristics)
-Since late 20th cent, society has two key characteristics since entering a postmodern society
-Diversity&Fragmentation: with greater diversity of cultures/lifestyles =a collection of subcultures than a single culture shared. Ppl ‘pick and mix’ their identities now eg subcultures, sexuality, social movements ect
-Rapid social change: New tech & media have dissolved old barriers of time & space- transformed work/leisure patterns and accelerated change. Makes life less predictable
Family therefore less stable, but more personal choice abt relationships-families therefore more diverse, so cannot generalise abt it like modernists (Parsons)
Cheal
-No longer in a ‘modern’ society with predictable, orderly structures eg nucleur family- instead entered a new, chaotic postmodern stage
-Not a dominant stable family but fragmented into many types, ppl now have choice over family arrangements
Advantages and Disadvantages of greater family choice
-Freedom to plot own life course- choose the family/personal relationships that meet their needs
-But means greater risk of instability since these relationships are more likely to break up.
Stacey (postmodern family)
-Greater choice/ freedoms benefitted women: enabled them to free themselves from patriarchal oppression & shape family arrangements to meet needs
What was Staceys research?
-Used life history interviews to construct a series of case studies of PM families in California
-W had been the main agents of changes in family not M eg they rejected trad housewife-mother role. Creating families that meet their needs
eg ‘Divorce- extended families’ members connected by divorce not Marriage. Key members often F, may include in-laws or ex-wives ect.
Explain Pams case study (Stacey)
-Created a divorce-extended family, she married young, divorced and cohabited for several years before re-marrying. 2nd husband also re-marr
-By time her 1st marriage kids were in 20s she had a D-E family with the women cohabiting w/ her first husband (financially/domestic help)
-Illustrates PM families diversity, their structure depends on the active choices ppl make abt how they live.
Morgan
-Argues it’s therefore pointless to make large-scale generalisations about ‘the family’ as if it’s a single thing (like functionalists)
-Instead a families whatever ppl call it, so should focus attention on how people create their own diverse families & practices -Life course analysis
What is life-course analysis
(Hareven ): methods of R using in-depth, unst interviews to explore the meanings ppl give to relationships & choices they make at various turning points in their lives eg having a baby, coming out as gay ect
What are the two major strengths of life course analysis?
-Focuses on what the family considers important, not sociologists by looking from their pov
-Particularly appropriate for studying families in today’s PM/late modernity society, where there’s more diversity
What is the individual thesis?
-Giddens & Beck: influenced by PM ideas, argues traditional social structures (class, gender, family) have lost much of their influence over society.
-By contrast to the past, society has less fixed roles/certainties eg marriage leading to more freedom from trad roles which has huge implications for fam relations
Giddens (reasons for greater choice & equality)
Occurred in recent decades between men and women because…
-Contraception: intamacy, not reproduction main reason for relations
-W have gained independence-femisism
Giddens (result of greater choice/equality)
-Basis of fam/marriage has changes, in past trad families were held together by external forces eg laws & norms
-So now ppl free to define it themselves rather than acting out tradition
Giddens (pure relationship)
-Typical of todays late modern society, no longer bound by trad norms instead exist solely to satisfy their own needs.
-Likely only last as long as both partners think is right, stay for love not duty/kids
-Become part of identity-finding ‘who we are’
Giddens (negatives of pure rel)
-More choice, inevitably makes it less stable-kind of a ‘rolling contract’ not a permanent commitment
-Creates greater diversity-more LPF, OPH, step-families
Giddens (same-sex couples)
-Sees them leading the way towards new family types & more democratic/equal relationships as not influenced by traditions like hetero couples
-So can negotiate personal relationships & make structures that suit them
Weeks
friendship networks acted as kinship networks for gay men & lesbians
Beck (the negotiated family)
-another version individualisation thesis: we now live in a ‘risk society’ where trad has less influence, more choice so more aware of risks as we calculate risk/reward
-Fam varies to wishes of members
How does this contrast the early traditional family?
-Roles were fixed by tradition & social norms dictated behaviour
-Although was unequal & oppressive did provide a stable/ predictable basis
However what two trends have undermind the patriarchal family?
-Greater gender equality: challenged M domination in all spheres of life. W now expect equality at work & marriage
-Greater individualism: ppls actions are influenced more by calculations of own self-interest not obligation to others
(have led to negotiated family)
Although more equal, whats wrong with the negotitated family?
-less stable as individuals are free too leave if needs arent met-leads to greater diversity eg LPF,OPH ect
What is the zombie family?
Beck: family appears to be alive but in reality is dead as ppl want it to be a haven of security in an insecure world but it cannot due to own instability.
Personal life Perspective criticism of individualisation thesis (Smart&May)
-Exaggerates choice people have abt family relationships today. (reflects neolib ideology) in reality trad norms limiting choice arent as weakened as asumed
-Ignores that choices are made in a social context by seeing ppl as free-floating
-Ignores importance of structural factors eg social class, patriarchal gender norms in limiting/shaping choices
-Beck&Giddens view of individual is simply ‘an idealised version of white mc man’- not everyone as same privilege to exercise choice
Whats the PLP propose an alternative thesis to individualisation?
Smart: Connectedness thesis
What is the connected thesis?
Argues we are fundamentally social beings, whose decisions are made in a ‘web of connectedness’ not isolated individuals w/ limitless choices (IT)
-We live in networks of existing relationships that influence choices
Finch and Mason (extended family study)
Found although ppl can to some extent negotiate the relationships they want, they’re also embedded within family connections & obligations that restrict their freedom of choice
-Challenges pure relationships
So what does Smart emphasise the importance of?
-Always putting individuals in the context of their past and the web of relationship that shape their choices and family patterns.
What two structures do the connectedness thesis emphasise the role of?
-Class & gender: these limit our choices abt the kinds of relationships, identities and families we can create for ourselves
ie…
-M are generally paid better=more choice
-Relative powerlessness of W/children compared to men=less freedom
May critiques Beck & Giddens view that class, gender and family structures are weakening because…
-Argues theyre being re-shaped not disappearing.
Eg past 150yrs although W gained rights to voting, divorce, edu and employment-doesnt mean they ‘have it all’.
Give an example of the power of structures being re-shaped
While women can now pursue traditionally ‘masculine’ goals eg careers, theyre still expected to be heterosexual
Summarise the PLP on greater freedom and choice
-Emphasises the importance of social structures (ie patriarchy, class inequality) in shaping the freedoms ppl now have to create more diverse types of families
