P2 Families and Households - Postmodernism and the Family

Question 1

What is modernity and the family?

Answer 1

Modernity believes in social change and that the direction of social change is for better and more efficient and effective social institutions. This can come about through evolutionary change or planning.

Question 2

What does Giddens argue about modernity and the family?

Answer 2

He believes that modernity itself has changed and has entered an era of late modernity which doesn’t involve a complete break but highlights significant changes and the effects they have on family life - Gidden sees these changes in a broadly positive light although not being necessarily beneficial and progressive

Question 3

What does Gidden argue about the transformation of intimacy?

Answer 3

Gidden argues that due to late modernity major social changes have taken place in intimate relationships between people.

Question 4

What is modern love according to Giddens?

Answer 4

In the modern era, marriage and family life were based on the idea of romantic love which started among the arisocracy.

In this theory this should be egalitarian because the bond is based on mutual attraction. However it has tended to lead to the dominance of men over women.

The idea of romantic love is the foundation of family life.

Question 5

What is plastic sexuality according to Giddens?

Answer 5

Gidden believes that in the later decades of the modern era people started to lose the belief that there was single and the right way to live your life.
He argues this involves the development of reflexivity - the ability to reflect upon your life and make choices as to the best way forward.
The ideas of plastic sexuality involves sex being free from its association with childbirth have begun to develop