family diversity

Question 1

theories

Answer 1

functionalism - parsons

the new right - charles murray

neo-conventional family - Robet Chester

feminsm/post mdernism - stacey

post-modernism - David Cheal

Question 2

types of diversty

Answer 2

the rapports

Question 3

modernism

Answer 3

-this refers to the notion that society is fixed , structured and predictable
-this society is suggesedted by perspectuves uh s functionalim = functionals fit theory

Question 4

modernism thories

Answer 4

-functionalism
-marxism
-femisim
-new right

Question 5

functionalism

Answer 5

functional fit between the nuclear and modern society

-Pasosn sees the nuclear family as uniquly suited to meeting the needs of modern society for a georgraphically and socially mobile workforce and as erformig 2 irreducible functions

• we can generalise about the type o family we will fid in modern society - nuclear family
• other family types are seen as dysfunctional abnormal or even deviant

Question 6

geographically mobile

Answer 6

physical movemnet

its easier to move a 2 generation nuclear family then a 3-generation extended family

Question 7

socially mobile

Answer 7

can move up or down social class

Question 8

New right and Lone parents

Answer 8

• lone mothers cannot displine their children
• loe mothers leave boys without an adult male role model, resulting in education failure, delinquency and social mobility

delinquency = naughty children, not as academic

-lone mothers are likely to be poorer and this is a burden on the welfare state.

• Phillips- 211 riotes were a result of boys growing up without fathers - lacked displine and not taught to respect authority. think they can get way with it a d blame others.

Question 9

cohabitatin versus marrige

Answer 9

pag 226

Question 10

new rights view of the family

Answer 10

• the nuclear family is bebficial for all members in the family
• the family has roles which are based on fundamental biological differences between men and women. this is why men should go to work and women should stay at home and o te exprssive roles.
• they believe that marriage symbolises commitment to he family unit, whereas cohabitation does not, which inncreases instabillity in the home
• new right sociologists believe that the increase in lone-parent families has led to a breakdown in tradtitional vaues. They say that this causes issues whe raisng children as they ae not socilaised properly. Thy argue this has a profound effect on crime and devianc in sociey.

Question 11

criticisms of the nnew rghts view on family diversity

Answer 11

• there is no evidence to argue that children brought up in lone parent families are more likely to be deviant than a child brought up in a nuclear family.

-whilst some people see cohabitation as as alternative to marriage. Chester argues that the majority of couples cohabitatig acually plan to get married.This is also supported by coast.

Fiish off.

Question 12

chester - neo conventional family

Answer 12

-chester 1985 recognises that there has bene some increased family diversity in recent years, however unlike teh new right family he doesnot regard this as negative he also still argues that the nuclar family is still dominant

• he argues that msot people do not choose to be in a lone parent family ad that the nuclear family is still the famiy pepel aspire to be in.
• although many people are not part of a nuclear family, chester says this is due to family life cycle

many people living in a one-person houselhould were either part of a nuclear in the past or iwll be in the future

• the family life cycle refers to the way families may chnage thrugh life stages - i.e when parents have children they will grow up an dwilll move out which will reframe the family form nuclear to mepty-nest family

Question 13

wht is the neo- convetional family

Answer 13

• the conventinal family is the nuclear family
• the Neo-conventional study is the dual eaner family where both spouse work - simmilar to symmwtrical family identified by Youg and Wilmott

Question 14

chester critisces statistics on husehoulds composition (censes) becuae they ae missleadig chester t hinks that litle has chnages with regard to scoiety nd he found 5patterns t support this

Answer 14

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Question 15

how to use chester as an evaluation

Answer 15

the extend and importance of family diversity has been exaggerated- opposing the New right who are dramatic about family diversity

chester alos argues family diversity is not an issue

mre in comon with functionalists as Chester still sees the nuclea family as dominant.

differnece between Chester and Functionalsims is tht chester sees a chnage from the conventinal to the neo-conventional nucear family where both familys play and isntumental role.

Question 16

the rapports

Answer 16

unlike chester, the rapports argues that family diversity has increased and t is important i sociey

family’s have adapted to a pluralistic society (cultures and lifestyles are diverse)

family dverisy refelect gender freedom of coice and the widespread acceptance of differant cultures.

Diversity is a postive eosse to peoples needs and not abormal as the new right would argue.

the nuclear family is no longer dominnaat

Question 17

the rapports 1932 5 types of family dversity

Answer 17

organisational

cultural

social class

life stages

genertional

Question 18

organisational

Answer 18

difference in family structure due to income

Question 19

cultural

Answer 19

family structures differ according to stages reached in the life course.

Question 20

social class

Answer 20

differences in family structure due to order and younger generations having different attitudes and experiences.

Question 21

life stage

Answer 21

differences in they way roles are organised

i.e. conjugal roles

Question 22

generational

Answer 22

different religions, culture and ethnic groups have differant family structues.

Question 23

postmodernism society and the family

Answer 23

Argue since the late 20th century,msoxiety has entered a new postmodern phase. Postmodern society has to key characteristics. Diversity and fragmentation. Society today is frangmented with an ever greater diversity of culture and lifestyles. More a collection of subcultures than a single culture shared. People can pick and mix, creating their identities and lifestyles from a wide range of choices.

Rapid social change new technology and the electronic media have dissolved old barriers of time and solace, transformed our patterns of work and leisure and accelerated the pace of change.

Not surprisingly, family life in postmodern society is therefore less stable, Yt at the same time it gives individuals more choice about their personal relationship. As a result family life has become more diverse then previously. Means it is no longer possible to generalise about it in the way that modernist sociologists such as parsons have done in the oast

Question 24

Postmodernism and family diversity

Answer 24

Postmodernists believe that knowledge itself needs to be understood in a different way to modernist sociologists like functionalists and Marxists.

They believe there is a lack of structure to society, greater diversity and incessant choice - we are no longer bound by societal structure such as class or gender

Question 25

Incessant choice

Answer 25

We are no longer bound by societal structures such as class or gender

Question 26

How does postmodernists theory differ to modernists theories

Answer 26

Modernist theories believe the nuclear family is dominant, that behaviour is determined by social structures to perform functions for society, human behaviour is therefor structures and predictable. HOWEVER Cheal (1993) - in postmodern society there is no longer one single dominant stable family type. I.e the nuclear family instead, family structure has become fragmented into many different types as individuals have much more choice. Led to greater family diversity and less predictability.

Question 27

Cheal (1993)

Answer 27

in postmodern society there is no longer one single dominant stable family type. I.e the nuclear family instead, family structure has become fragmented into many different types as individuals have much more choice. Led to greater family diversity and less predictability.

Question 28

Judith Stacey 1998

Answer 28

Stacey’s research found that greater freedom and choice had benefited women and had enabled them to free themselves from patriarchal oppression and create families that benefited their needs. - conducted life history interviews with family’s in Silicon Valley, California -found that women were more the reason to change in the family rather then men. -women rejected the traditional housewife role and had chosen extremely varied life paths, so,em choose to return to education to become career wome, divorce and remarrying. -Stacey identified a new type of family - the divorce extended family. Connected by divorce rather than marriage for example ex in laws, former husbands new partners. This is by choice.

Question 29

Suggest why the extended divorce family,u might benefit women

Question 30

Stacey 1998 - postmodern families

Answer 30

Post moder families are diverse and are shapes by the active choices people make about their loves and how they want to live it - whether Expel want to marry, get divorced, cohabit, live in same sec relationships or even polygamous relationships,more than one it is their choice, and not one family type is greater then the other

Question 31

Morgan 2011 - family practices

Answer 31

Generalisations about the family cannot and should not be made. Family is simply what people do. Not a thing or structure like functionalists, new right and Marxists say. Morgan uses the concept of family practises to describe how we create our sense of being a family member. Through actions such as feeding children or doing DIY Similarly he argues that things like the family, friendships and the forms of relationships have become less clear-cut and the boundaries between them blurred because todays society is more fragmented.

Question 32

Harevens (1978) life course analysis

Answer 32

Life course analysis- trying to establish why people have made their life choices and when they have. Using unstructured interview, it explores the meaning that individual family members give to the relationships they have and the choice that they make throughout life regarding family arrangements. For example when they decide to raise children, get married, get divorces or come out as gay. - this approach recognises that there is flexibility and variation in people lives it doesn’t stay the same. -

Question 33

Strengths and weaknesses of life course anyalysis

Question 34

Individualisation thesis

Answer 34

- while not accepting everything postmodernists say about the nature lf society today. GIDDENS AND BECK have been influenced by postmodernists. - they explore the effects of increasing individual choice upon families and relationships. - they argue traditional social structure such as class, gender and family have lost much of their influence over us. Individuals in today’s society have much more choice over their lives. - we have become disembedded from traditional roles, leaving us with more freedom on how to live our lives.

Question 35

giddens

Answer 35

argues that the family has been transformed by grater choice and equal relationship between men and women. 1. This transformation occurred due to contraception and feminism.

Question 36

Ulrich beck (1992) risk society

Answer 36

Beck (1992) says we live in a risk society where traditions have little influence over lives, our lives are now characterised by choice. Due to the amount of choice we have, we are also aware of the risks and rewards certain choices have. We gave developed a risk consciousness. He also argues family diversity is not simply a matter of choice. People are “reflexive” - they look at society, see the tide of choice. For example marriage they may not choose to get married but cohabitate. - personal decisions are informed by what they see going on in society - leads to greater family diversity

Question 37

Explain how risks can led to family diversity and give an example.

Question 38

Beck the zombie family

Answer 38

Beck said that in today’s uncertain risk society people turn to their family for stability and security. However, family relationships themselves are at greater risk and uncertainty that ever before so they cannot provide this. He characterises the family as a zombie category, it appears to be alive but in reality it’s dead