Family Diversity

Question 1

What does Anderson argue regarding family diversity ?

Answer 1

Anderson argues it has always existed but not been evident in research

Question 2

what does Wilson argue regarding family diversity?

Answer 2

he argues that the dispersed extended family is the norm

Question 3

what does brannan argue is the typical family in Britain?

Answer 3

the beanpole family - family from multiple generations but with fewer members as generations get younger

Question 4

what is the cereal packet family that leach speaks about?

Answer 4

it is the dominant family constantly seen in Britain

Question 5

what does Chester argue?

Answer 5

the widespread of diversity threatening the nuclear family & the idea that the nuclear family is disappearing is incorrect as:

• most people live in a household headed by a marriage
• most adults marry + have kids
• most marriages continue until death

Question 6

What is the main shift from the nuclear family that Chester argues?

Answer 6

the shift from the conventional nuclear family to the neo-conventional family

Question 7

Define the neo-conventional family

Answer 7

a family in which both parents are working

Question 8

What patterns does Chester identify?

Answer 8

• everyone’s ideal family is nuclear
• according to everyone’s life cycle that is the reason why they don’t currently live in a nuclear family however will do at some point in their life

Question 9

Evidence in 2003 & 2013 of married couple families

Answer 9

2003 = 67% married couple families

2013= 63% married couple families

Question 10

What do the Rapoports argue ?

Answer 10

• They believe that we have moved away from the traditional nuclear family
• We’ve adopted a pluralistic society where cultures and lifestyles are more important
• Family diversity= greater freedom of choice & acceptance of cultures

Question 11

How many types of diversity do the Rapoports argue there is?

Answer 11

5

Question 12

Name and describe the 5 types of diversity the Rapoports speak about?

Answer 12

1. Organisational diversity = differences in the way family roles are organised
2. Life stage diversity= family structures differ according to the stage in which they are in
3. Generational diversity = older and younger generations have different attitudes
4. Social class diversity = differences in family structure as a result of social class and the income difference
5. Cultural diversity = different cultural, religious, ethnic groups have different family structures

Question 13

What did Bhatti’s research of Asian families in Southern England show ?

Answer 13

• the role of mother= nurturer
• role of father= head
• its important to have strong bond with grandparents

Question 14

What does Madood argue about younger south Asians?

Answer 14

• younger South Asians tend to move away from the extended family
• they have different values

Question 15

What does Chamberlain &Reynolds argue?

Answer 15

Chamberlain - Afro Caribbean families aunts, uncles siblings have an important role in their lives. Eldest sibling tends to raise the younger siblings

Reynolds- despite having a lot of female single parent families they aren’t negative

Question 16

Allan and Crow’s reasons for diversity?

Answer 16

• Divorce
• Changes in the law + more independence for women
• Cohabitation
• Decline in marriage
• Demographic trends

Question 17

What do Weeks Heaphey and Donavan argue about “chosen families”?

Answer 17

same sex couples choose their family: friends, godparents. Friendship can become some sort of kinship network

Question 18

What does Roseneil argue about “heteronorm”?

Answer 18

There is no such thing as heterosexual being the norm

Question 19

What is Haraven’s argument about the “life course analysis”?

Answer 19

Haraven argues the life course analysis focuses on the life course of the individual. Changes occur

Question 20

What do Pahl and Spencer argue about family?

Answer 20

They argue that the concept of family is no longer useful in the 21st century as people have fictive kin.

Fictive kin = person that is considered family but there’s no blood relation

Question 21

What did Carol Smart find in her study on love ?

Answer 21

• did study on 54 same sex couples in a civil partnership
• 12 couples saw a civil partnership as transforming the meaning of their love and establishing it to a higher level
• 37 couples saw it as a ceremony of their growing commitment
• 3 couples saw the ceremony as helping them to bond

Question 22

What is the personal life perspective & who said it?

Answer 22

it is concerned with aspects of your life, it is linked to your emotions,feelings about bodies and sexuality thus is likely to change

Question 23

what does Carol Smart’s study show?

Answer 23

that the meaning of love is subjective. Family means something different to everyone

Question 24

What did Gabb find in her study of internal life of families from different backgrounds with different sexual orientations?

Answer 24

she found a lot of power inequalities especially between parents and children. she suggested the quality of relationship which is important and they’re not restricted to humans but also pets and the dead

Question 25

What does Stacey argue?

Answer 25

that women have more freedom to shape their family arrangement to meet their needs and free themselves from patriarchal oppression

Question 26

How did Stacey come to the conclusion that women have greater control over their needs and family arrangement?

Answer 26

The interviews she used in California found new family structures like the divorce extended family in which people are still connected through divorce rather than marriage

Question 27

Eval of post modernism

Answer 27

Radical feminists would argue women are still being oppressed. Also women benefit from choice but not all as some still live in traditional ways eg: South Asian families have an expectation of marriage and restrictions within marriage

Question 28

Giddens theory of individualisation?

late modernity

Answer 28

social structures have lost much influence. People are disembedded from traditional roles and structures. Individuals are free to stay or leave. Individuals can define relationships the way they see suitable

Question 29

How does Giddens see same sex couples?

Answer 29

He see’s them as pioneers leading the way to more democratic, equal relationships as they aren’t influenced by the tradition as heterosexual families

same sex couples are able to form relationships based on choice

Question 30

Beck’s idea of ‘Negotiated families’

late modernist

Answer 30

they negotiate positions and role in the family thus reduce patriarchy

Question 31

Evaluation of the individualism thesis

Answer 31

ignores the fact that peoples decisions are made within a social context

ignores the importance of social structures

Question 32

Smart’s connected thesis?

Answer 32

beings whose choices are made within a web of connectedness

Question 33

Living apart together>

Answer 33

2 people in a relationship choosing to live separately