family diversity (done) Flashcards
what is a norm?
a standard of behaviour that is shared by a group and accepted within it
what is a value?
a belief that something is good or desirable. These represent general guidelines to behaviour in a society
what is a role?
the part that an individual acts or plays in society
what is status?
an individual’s social position in society. This can relate to the job an individual has. Two types of status; ascribed - status fixed at birth and achieved status - gained through own efforts
what is socialization?
the learning of the norms and values of society. This process occurs within the family
what is culture?
a way of life in a social group. This leads to accepted ways of behaviour from members of that social group
what is social control?
the maintenance of order in society. This is vital if society is to function properly. It’s underpinned by shared norms and values. Two types of controls; informal controls like parents and formal controls such as police and legal systems
what is the definition of a family?
A social institution consisting of a group of people who are related by kinship ties; relations of blood, marriage and adoption
what is a consensus?
agreement, cooperation, social unity, shared norms and values and harmony
what is conflict?
conflict of interest, some benefits more than others, norms and values not freely agreed by everyone, exploitation
what is Structure (macro)?
constrained, structured, social force, external forces, moulding, directing and controlling
what is Social action (micro)?
individual and conscious thoughts, awareness and negotiation
what is functionalism?
Emphasize integration and harmony
Sees family as a vital organ
Interested in the contribution the family makes to satisfying the functional prerequisites or basic needs
murdock?
Offers a traditional view of the family and is seen as nuclear
Perform 4 basic and essential functions; sexual reproduction socialising and economic.
Believe marriage and nuclear family provide best opportunity for social control
Unit of production and unit of consumption
Emphasis practicality of nuclear family
parsons?
2 basic functions of the family found in every society; primary socialisation of children, stabilization of adult personalities (place where the adults can relax
“ warm bath theory”- woman perform the expressive role (caring and loving) men perform the instrumental role (breadwinner)
The family are like a ‘warm bath’ husband arrives home from a stressful day at work and sinks into the ‘warm bath’ which family provides
what is the functional fit thesis?
Parosn argues family will ‘fit’ needs of society
Bell and vogel?
Children act as scapegoats but this is functional as families cam vent frustration at home rather than wider society
Is a micro- sociological theory
Highlights some of the dysfunctional aspects of the family
give a summary of functionalists?
Family meet the needs of society by socialising children into shared norms and values, leading to harmony and stability
Family social institution providing security for the conception
Sexual division of labour in the family; woman performing expressive role and helps maintain stable society
Family is a supportive and generally harmonious and happy social institution.
give some criticisms of functionalists?
Murdock and parsons downplay conflict
Children may become scapegoats causing harm
Parsons view of ‘instrumental’ and ‘expressive’ is very old fashioned
Ignores family diversity
Leach - privatisation as a destructive
Laing- family as a destructive and exploitative institution
Feminist would criticise expressive and instrumental roles
what is the personal life perspective?
Influenced by interactionism and postmodernist approaches Bottoms up approach Meaning Individuals Negotiation Thought and feeling
Stacey?
Accepting of family diversity and the divorce-extended family
Focus on meaning to the individual ‘fictive’ kin
clarke?
Focus on how people feel about their relationships
How does it feel to be married
Focus on the interactions, roles and meanings
Nordquist and smart ?
(donor-conceived family)
Found that issue of blood and genes raised a range of feeling for members of those families
leach?
Wrote the book ‘a runaway world’
Pessimistic view of the family
Nuclear family is isolated from kin and wider community
Stress is too much and this results in conflict
Describes the family as a ‘Overloaded electrical circuit’’
laing?
Schizophrenia should be viewed in context of the family, not madness but a coping strategy.
give some criticism of personal life perspective?
Some of the views can be seen as extreme
Ignore wider social factors such as class and gender
Is this view to broad?
simple marxism?
A macro, structuralist, conflict
Society is made up of two classes
Bourgeoisie (upper class)
Proletariat (poor people/ lower class)
The idea of the superstructure being the top with the family and the legal systems and the infrastructure being the base with capitalism who run the means of production
Rich people own the means of production, capitalism = exploitation
whats is marx’s prediction?
Marx argued that in the future the world would become aware of our own exploitation and join together and implement communism
More equal society
Marxism is the rich vs the poor
Way of creating a fairer society
engels?
The monogamous bourgeois nuclear family is developed to help solve the problem of the …. Inheritance of private property
Men need to know who their children where in order to pass on their inheritance
Family is therefore designed to control woman and protect property
Bourgeois nuclear family emerged with capitalism
It is patriarchal
Designed to guarantee and perpetuate male power through the inheritance of property
Servers interest of capitalism
Engels suggested that a housewife position is one of a ….. Glorified prostitution
althusser
Family is an ideological state apparatus which is a tool past on by the government to pass on ideas and beliefs
according to Zaretsky what 4 functions of the family serve capitalism ?
Family socialises children thereby reproducing both labour power and an acceptance of capitalism (false class consciousness) Women's domestic work is underpaid which benefits capitalism Family acts as a safety value for the stresses and frustration of working class men Family as a unit of consumption buys the good and services provided by capitalism
what did Zaretsky say?
Claimed the family ‘props up’ capitalism
Family is one place where male workers can feel they have power and control
Helps them accept their oppression in wider society
It is a heaven
Criticisms of marxist view?
Anthropologists have suggested that the emergence of the nuclear family didn’t actually coincide with the emergence of capitalism
Marxist view ignore family diversity
Economically deterministic - sees nuclear family as being simple determined by economy
What is feminism?
Feminism comprises a number of social, cultural and political movements, theories and moral philosophies concerned with gender inequality and discrimination against women
It is also described as an ideology focusing on equality on the sexes
Often differ in opinion over the sources of inequality
Feminist today commonly campaign from woman rights such as: abortion, conception, prenatal care
Protected from domestic violence: against sexual harassment, rape, workplace rights, equal pay
History of feminism?
Title of suffragette was given to members of women’s suffrage movement
Members of women’s social and political by emmeline pankhurst
Women got the vote in 1918 but only married over 30 but was the same as men in 1928
who are the Strands of feminism liberal?
Changing society through laws and social policies
An optimistic theory which concerned with campaigning against sex discrimination through laws and policies
Mary wollstonecraft- commented on society view (1759- 1797)
who are radical feminist?
Separatism promote same sex partnership
See patriarchy as the main obstacle to women freedom
what did rich say?
compulsory sexuality
what did firestone say?
separatism
what did Delphy and leonard say?
57 varieties of unpaid labor
what are maxist feminists?
Looks at the role of women and capitalism (the economy)
Argue that the main cause of women’s oppression is capitalism
what did oakley say?
women are economically dependant
what did beechy say?
women are semi-proletarianised workers
what did bregual say?
reserve army of labour
what did Benston say?
women’s unpaid labour aids capitalism
what did Ansley say?
women act as a safety valve and are takers of shit
who are the black/different feminists?
Black women have to deal with racism and sexism
Not all women have similar experience
Argue all women are different through locality, sexuality, class and ethnicity
what did Amos and parmar say?
black women may have to deal with racism as well as sexism and their family may act as a support
criticisms of feminists ?
Some contradict each other
Patriarchy is universal
Feminist writers assume women share a common position of exploitation but there are many divisions between women
Postmodernists argue traditional notion of 2 sexes with one dominating the other is to simple
Numerous different sorts ‘male’ and ‘female’ behaviour
Does radical feminism go to far and liberal no to far?
Different types of feminism different over the cause of women oppression and the solution to it
Focus on the nuclear family still although there is diversity
what is domestic violence?
Any incident or pattern of incidents of controlling or threading behaviour, violence or abuse between the age 16 or over who are or have been intimate parents or family members regardless of gender or sexuality
Can include psychological, physical, sexual, financial, emotional violence and abuse
what is yanshire explanation on domestic violence?
On average a women will suffer 35 assaults before making an report
what are radical feminists explanation on domestic violence
Argue domestic abuse is widespread and due to patriarchy, culture values and institutions
what are what are radical feminists explanation on domestic violence explanation on domestic violence?
Found that violent incidents occurred when husbands felt that their authority was challenged
domestic violence statistics?
99% incidents against women are committed by men
1 in 4 women
1 in 7 men
what does cheal think about domestic violence?
Police and prosecutors are reluctant to investigate or prosecute because they make 3 assumptions about family life;
Family is a private sphere
Family is a good thing so it ignores darker side
Are free agents able to leave an abusive relationship
what are cheal 3 assumptions about family life?
Family is a private sphere
Family is a good thing so it ignores darker side
Are free agents able to leave an abusive relationship
who are most at risk of domestic violence?
Most people are risk are Children/ young women Lower social class Rented accommodation low income High level of alcohol Long term illness
what Wilkinson explanation on domestic violence?
Uses a material explanation
Explains violence as a result of stress on family members caused by social inequality eg; money, job, housing
Lack of money restricts people’s social circles and support networks.
what are conjugal roles?
Roles performed by men and women in marriage or cohabiting relationship
what do willmoot and young say ?
Functionalists who have traced the development of the family back to pre-industrial times
They argue the family is now symmetrical
what does oakley say?
Found that there is some evidence that men are helping out more in the home
No evidence of symmetry
what does Richard reeves?
Gender roles in the family will continue to improve and terms like “stay at home dad’ are becoming normalised
what does duncombe and marsden say?
Woman have the responsibility or arranging ‘quality time’ together
what does phal and vogel say?
Men tend to benefit from money management
Engels
Very important decision were made by the men
what is the personal life perspective?
Greater freedom for same sex couples to do what suits them as a couple as they do not have ‘gener scripts’
what does silver and schor say?
Commercialisation of housework
House work is now commercial things are widely available
why do women now work?
no longer economically dependent therefore Meaning they can afford to buy such goods
criticisms about the division of labor?
Poorer woman can’t afford to buy expensive goods
Just because burden lessened doesn’t mean division of labour is equal
what do functionalists think about policies?
Policies help the family
what did Fletcher do with social polices?
introduced of NHS, housing and policies etc
what did Donzelot do with social policies?
criticizes this positive view of policy as argues the state is interfering with family life
what do Althusser think about polices?
police act in an ideological way, convincing us that society is just and fair
what do marxist think about polices?
Policies serve capitalism
what do feminist think of social policies?
Policies maintain women’s subordinate position and reflect patriarchy
Policies regarding tax and benefits childcare and caring for the sick and elderly are often at cost to woman
evolution- policies such as equal pay divorce laws help woman but do not aid patrichy
what does land think of social polices?
courts assume women should have custody of children in divorces cases as they are seen as natural carers
what does Leonard think of social polices?
maternity leave benefits woman but assumes its the woman responsibility
what do new right think about the family?
Like functionalists they see the family as a cornerstone of society
See a ‘normal’ family as the nuclear family unit
Their ideas have influenced conservative policies
Growing concern
Family is in decline, breathing down and under threat
Increase in: lone parent, fatherless, divorce rates, decrease in nuclear family
Family is in decline, breathing down and under threat
Increase in: lone parent, fatherless, divorce rates, decrease in nuclear family
this is caused by?
A breakdown in traditional family value
Welfare state
Increasing sexual permissiveness
Greater tolerance if homesexiality as an alternative to hetrosexual marriage
A breakdown in traditional family value
Welfare state
Increasing sexual permissiveness
Greater tolerance if homesexiality as an alternative to hetrosexual marriage
what consequences are bung?
The ‘fragmented family’ is no longer its functions effectively
Inadequate socialisation (lack of male role models)
Educational underachievement
Increase in anti-social behaviour
Welfare dependency
what solutions does the new right have for the family?
A return to traditionals family values
A change in government policy to support and maintain 2 parent families
Families without fathers (2000) norman dennis george trdo’
Increasing no’s if children are born outside marriage and raised by single mothers
Places children at a disadvantage
Families without fathers are not adequate alternative to the nuclear family
Families are not not just changing they are deteriorating
who had the concept of underclass?
Charles murray Concept of underclass to describe; unemployed, inner city working class, fatherless children etc
criticisms of families without fathers?
Blames victims for their own problems most one-parent families
Positive images of traditional hetrosexual nuclear family hides the true amount of unhappiness and frustration by
what is the new labor?
Nuclear is best but accept family diversity
Abolished clause 28
Introduced civil partnership
Gay adoption
New deal/help for single parents to find work
Working family tax credits
Longer maternity leave/pay- 2 week paternity
give a criticisms of new labor?
New right argue they undermined the nuclear family
Policies that undermine the nuclear family?
Equal pay
Child benefits
Lowering the age of consent for homosexual
Gay adoption
Policies that support the nuclear family?
Very limited paternity leave Housing poverty when children are present Clause 28 Maternity leave Tax breaks for married couples
what does first marriage mean?
neither partners has been married before
what does remarriage mean?
one or both partners has been married before
give a statics about remarriage?
Remarried have increased from 57,000 to 126,000
what does confluent love mean?
Relationships are now based on intimacy closeness and emotions rather than obligation so are more risk of breaking down
what did chester say about cohabitation?
cohabitation is a prelude to marriage
what is singlehood?
Some people never marry
Choice or do not find a suitable partner
Numbers are increasing
how many people are living alone?
biggest increase in has been in professional people aged 25-29
what is creative singlehood?
This term is used to describe a positive view of singlehood where by people chose to stay single as a lifestyle options
Change in norms/values and expectations
careers/education/travel/indepence
what is child bearing?
Families are smaller
More women are having no children
what is the fertility rate?
he average number of children a woman will have in her fertile years
what is the birth rate?
number of live babies born per 1000 of the population
what is the average age of mothers in the uk?
30.5
why are more births happening outside of marriage?
Changing attitudes/values
contraception/career opportunities
Deterioration of traditional gender roles
Secularisation
what did barrow say?
black families have higher proportion of lone parent families
what did ballard say?
asian families have larger families sometimes with 3 generations
what does divorce mean?
The legal termination of a marriage
what is the divorce rate?
the number of divorces per thousand married per year
what does separation mean?
A married couple who end their relationship and live in separate residences but remain legally married
what is an empty shell marriage?
The couples share the same residence remain legally married but their marriage still exists in the name only
what is an annulment?
To officially announce that something such as a law agreement or marriage no long exist
explain the trends of divorce?
An increase in divorce following various legal changes particularly the implementation of the divorce act 1969
The increase has appeared to have levelled off partly reflecting the fall in number of marriage
7/10 divorce are guaranteed by woman
reasons for an increase in divorce?
Legal changes Changing in social attitudes Growing expectations of marriage Influenced by feminist ideas Growing pressures Secularisation Isolation of the nuclear family from a geographically close support networks of kins
what is the divorce act?
Before the act you must have to be proven a ‘guilty party’
1969 act defined the grounds for divorce as
‘The irretrievable breakdown of the marriage’
The matrimonial family proceeding act 1984
Reduced form 3 years to 1 the time a couple had to married before they could petition for a divorce
1996- family law act-encouraged mediation before divorce
2004- civil partnership act
fletcher?
people place higher expectations on marriage and this has caused a rise in divorce rates
duncombe and marson?
argue that marriage remains patriarchal which means which benefit men when women are performing ‘triple shift’
beck?
argue that in modern society traditional norms lost their hold over individuals resulting in individuals becoming free to pursue own self-interests
giddens?
explains rising expectations by suggesting there has been a trend to ‘confluent love’
smart?
argues that divorce has become normalised and the family can adopt without a major social problems
chester?
argues that for most people cohabitation is part of the process of getting married
weeks?
argue increased social acceptance has led to trends in ‘chosen families’
murry?
sees the growth of long parent families resulting from an over-generou welfare state providing benefits for unmarried mothers and their children
what where the historical differences in childhood?
n medieval society the idea of childhood did not exist
evidence the position of children have improved?
march of progress (functionalism)
evidence that the position of children has not improved?
The conflict view (Marxism, feminism)
Many inequalities still exist Amongst children
what is age patriarchy?
Adult power
Control/knowledge over children
what does smart argue?
argues that children are not passive of socialisation who play a major part in creating the own childhood
what does palmar argue?
childhood disappearing
what does postman believe about the disappearance of childhood
childhood is disappearing at a dazzling speed
explain the disappearance of childhood
The printed word created an ‘information hierarchy’ for example adults could read and children can not
Created adult power over children to keep things secret
However tv blurs this division and destroys the boundary
what does jenks believe about the disappearance of childhood
Jenks- childhood is not disappearing but is changing
As relationships in a postmodern world becomes more unstable the relationship which the child becomes more important as an adults identify and stability
what does opies believe about the disappearance of childhood
argues that childhood is still a distinct, separate culture
what is the birth rate?
number of live births per 1000 of the population per year
what is the fertility rate?
average number of children a woman will have during her fertility years (15-44)
what is the dependency ratio?
the relationship between the size of the working population and the no working population
what is an age population?
fewer babies being born will mean fewer young adults and smaller working population to support ageing population
what is the death rate?
number of deaths per 1000 of the population per year
what is internal imigration?
many move to the south east for jobs ( moving through the country)
list some reasons for a fall in birth rate?
Increased educational opportunities More women working Changing in attitudes Divorce Abortion and contraception Fall in informality rate Children have become an economic liability Child centred
Mckeown
medical improvements and less deaths due to infections diseases
tranter
better public health, decline in dangerous occupations, healthier lifestyles e.g. less people smoke
Postmodernists
blurred boundaries between life stages
Pilcher
inequalities amounts the old
Hirsch
policy implications
Vertovec
super diversity
Cohen
citizens, denizens, helots
Eade
hybrid identities
Castles
assimilationist policies do not work and cause marginalisation
Eriksen
transnational- neither/nor- identities
what are the effects of an ageing population
Impact on public services
Increases on one person households
Impact on dependant ratios
Ageism and structured dependency
what are the impacts of migration
Size of population
Age of population
Dependency ratio
who are the Feminisation of globalisation and what did the say?
Ehrenreich and hochschild- women moving to the uk more likely to do patriarchal jobs
Shutes- 40% of care workers in the uk are migrants
eriksen?
argues governments only accept superficial aspects of diversity
what is shallow diversity
superficial integration eg. Adoption of British national dishes
what is deep diversity?
Deep diversity- not accepting other aspects of diversity such as arranged marriage
what did George Peter Murdock say about family diversity?
Family is a social group characterised by common residence, economic cooperation and reproduction
Included adults of both sexes
what are the 5 types of family diversity?
Cultural diversity- more female headed Afro-Caribbean families
Life stages- Newlywed,retired
Organisational- joint conjugal roles
Generational diversity- are you views about family different to your grandparents
Social class- income and child rearing can differ
what did barrow African Caribbean families in Britain
Many ‘mother households’
Mother are heads of the family
Adults males contribute to child beaning
Higher proportion of line-parent households
what did Ballard say about South Asian families in Britain
Patriarchal
More likely to be extended
When migrated outside the home, split into smaller units
Some children co-existed in 2 cultures
what does Robert Chester say about family diversity ?
More still bought up by 2 parents
Mothers are now economically active
Changes are only minor
Life cycles- at some point all people will not be part of the nuclear family for example kids will move out
what does The personal life perspective say about family diversity?
Smart- critics the ‘individualisation thesis
More diversity but have exaggerated the amount of choice individuals have
Used the ‘connectedness thesis’ to explain how we are influenced by other societies social expectations
what does postmordersit say about family diversity?
Not one type but a range of different family arrangements
Morgan- they are no fixed structures
Giddens- more choices making them less fixed
Beck- disembedded from traditional roles ‘negotiated family
Stacey- ‘divorce-extended’ family
