P2 Families and Households - Personal Life Theory

Question 1

What are the critiques of other theories?

Answer 1

personal life sociologists argue that functionalism, marxism and feminism all suffer from two weaknesses:
1. They assume that the traditional nuclear family is dominant (family diversity)
2. They are all structural theories (meta narratives)

Question 2

What does Vanessa May argue?

Answer 2

That personal relationships are not confined to the family and should not be exclusively studied here.

She does not question that family relationships are essential to personal life but she argues that personal life also involves relationships with other people as well.
So it is an interactionist “bottom up” approach to explaining the sociology of family units

Question 3

What is the sociology of personal life?

Answer 3

1. Strong ties with interactionist ideas
2. Bottom Up Theory
3. Individual (meaning to relationships)
4. relationships can take any form
5. DNA does not determine a family
6. Social relationships are more important than genetic one’s

Question 4

What does Carol Smart argue?

Answer 4

1.Smart argues that gradually the sociology of the family has shifted but still puts most emphasis on those who are connected by blood/marriage.
2. She also argues that people no longer see their personal life as being organised this way (technological developments make it easier for people to have long distance relationships)
3. Smart argues that the personal is different from the individual.

Question 5

What is the beyond ties of blood and marriage?

Answer 5

Relationships that individuals see as significant that give us a sense of identity and belonging. This could include:
- Relationships with friends
- Fictive Kin
- Gay and Lesbian chosen families
- Relationships with dead relatives
- Relationships with pets