new right/personal life perspective on the family

Question 1

why do personal life perspective sociologists reject functionalism, marxism and feminism?

Answer 1

1. they assume the nuclear family is the dominant family type and ignore family choice and diversity
2. they assume families are manipulated by society to perform certain functions e.g. to provide a workforce

Question 2

who is Carol Smart? (personal life perspective)

Answer 2

says people have more freedom to construct their own families and relationships

thinks families/relationships are not just about blood ties/marriage

Question 3

what counts as family to Carol Smart? (personal life perspective)

Answer 3

1. fictive kin (close friends who are treated as family i.e. your mums best friend who you call auntie)
2. gay & lesbian ‘chosen families’ (supported network of close friends)
3. pets (children identify pets as part of the family)

Question 4

what is the new right perspective?

Answer 4

• conservative view of family life
• say nuclear family is the one ‘correct’ or ‘normal’ family type - as it is based on biological, natural differences

Question 5

what do new right sociologists argue about society/the family?

Answer 5

think society/the family are broken

argue only a return to traditional values including the value of marriage can prevent damage to children

Question 6

what do new right sociologists think of laws and policies?

Answer 6

they regard laws and policies (e.g. easy access to divorce, welfare benefits & gay marriage) as undermining the traditional family

Question 7

why do new right sociologists oppose family diversity - especially lone parents?

Answer 7

they argue that:
- lone mothers cannot dicipline their children properly

• lone parent families leave boys without an adult male role model
• such families are also likely to be poorer and thus are a burden on the welfare state

Question 8

who is Harry Benson (new right sociologist)

Answer 8

• argues couples are more stable when married
• found in his research that the rate of divorce between married couples was lower than the rate of breakups between cohabiting couples
• marriage is more stable because it requires a deliberate commitment to each other
• argues government need to encourage couples to marry through policies that support marriage

Question 9

criticisms of the new right

Answer 9

• feminists argue conventional nuclear families are patriarchal / cause gender inequality
• also argue roles are not biologically determined as cross cultural studies show variation in the roles men and women play
• no evidence that children in lone parent families are more likely to be delinquent