Family Diversity & Life Course Flashcards
What view do the new right have about family diversity?
Conservative and anti-feminist, they oppose family diversity.
Like functionalism, what is the new rights view on family diversity?
There is only one correct or normal family type. The traditional or conventional patriarchal nuclear family
What do the new right believe of the growth of family diversity has caused?
Social problems such as higher crime rates and educational failure?
Name a popular feminist theorist who criticises the new right and why.
Ann Oakley, The view of New right towards family is negative reaction against the feminist campaign of women’s equality. Oppressive to women.
What is Robert Chester view on family diversity?
There is increased family diversity but doesn’t see this as very significant
What does Chester argue?
The only important change is a move from the dominance of the traditional or conventional nuclear family.
What does he describe these family types as (Traditional or conventional nuclear family)?
Neo- conventional family.
What does Chester mean by Neo- conventional family?
A division of labour shared between male breadwinner and a female home-maker
What is a dual-earner family?
Both spouses go out to work
What do Rhona and Robert Rapoports believe?
Family diversity is the central importance in understanding family life today, with 5 different types of families existing in wider society today.
Rhona and Robert Rapoports identify 5 different types of family diversity,name these types.
Organisational diversity, Cultural diversity , Social class diversity, Life stage diversity, Generational diversity.
What is the modernist approach to the family?
Like New right and functionalism, they emphasis the dominance of one family type.
What is the approach of modernist theorists towards family?
Structural or ‘top down view’ structure that shapes the behaviour of its members so they can perform functions that society requires.
Which sociologist uses the approach know as life course analysis?
Tamara Hareven (1978)
What does Hareven summaries about life course analysis?
There is flexibility and variation in people family lives - in choices and decisions they make.It focuses on the meanings people give to life events and choices.
Who uses the concept of family practices?
David Morgan (1996)
What does Morgan believe about family practices?
How we construct our life course and relationships. Families are not ‘concrete things’ or structures they are simple what people do.
What do post-modernist theorists say about family diversity?
Family structures are more fragmented and individuals have much more choice in their lifestyle.
What does Anthony Giddens (1992) argue?
In recent decades the family and marriage have been transformed by greater choice and more equal relationships between men and women.
What factors have effected choice and equality according to Giddens?
Contraception- sex and intimacy rather than reproduction.
Women have gained independence having greater opportunities in education and work.
Who has a similar view to Giddens?
Ulrich Beck (1992)
What is Ulrich Beck’s view?
We live in a ‘risk society’ where tradition has less influence and people have more choice.
What view does Judith Stacey (1998) argue?
She argues greater choice has benefited women,free themselves from patriarchal oppression and to shape their family arrangement to meet their needs.
What does Jeffrey Weeks (2000) about the growing acceptance of diversity?
he argues that there has been a long term shift in attitudes since the 1950’s.
What are the factors affecting changing attitudes about family diversity.
Growing acceptance of sexual and family diversity - attitudes more favourable towards cohabitation and homosexuality.
To summarize, who are against diversity?
Functionalism and New right- Only one best or normal family type.Traditional nuclear family consisting of married couple.
Who is in favour of diversity?
Post-modernist and Feminists - it brings people to freedom to choose the personal relationships and the ways of living that meet their needs.
