PAPER 2 (Family - social structure and social change THEORIES) Flashcards
Murdock 4 functions of the family:
Stable satisfaction of the sex drive (married adults have a stable sex drive - prevents affairs)
Reproductive (producing the next generation)
Educational (socialisation)
Economic (providing food, shelter and clothing)
Murdock on the nuclear family:
Natural normal and universal.
Edholm
Nothing natural or normal about the nuclear family.
Relatives are not born but made.
Parsons - modern industrial society needs a geographically and socially mobile workforce because…
That’s what the economy needs.
Nuclear family - geographically mobile (if dad moves for job - you all can) if it’s extended you can’t.
Socially mobile - you can move up and down social classes.
Parsons - two basic and irreducible functions of the family:
Personality factory - babies are blank canvases. Grow up to learn personality.
Stabilisation of adult personality - living in a family as an adult is beneficial. Allows us to cope.
However, this view is optimistic and he is viewing the family through ‘rose-tinted glasses’
Engels
Before society began we had ‘primitive communism’, so people did not form monogamous relationships.
Marx
Argued that the economic base of a society shapes the culture of that society. Because our economic system is based on private property, our culture is very individualistic, which in turn helps to justify private property.
Somerville
Says that radical feminists ignore the progress that has been made. She thinks political lesbianism is unrealistic, some women want to be with men.
Oakley
Says that internalisation of gender norms is more subtle, i.e girls pick up doll and are encouraged.
Reclaim the night
Movement that was in response to the yorkshire ripper murders. Women went out when told not to.
Fran Ansley
Wives are takers of shit
Greer
Advocates for women only households.
Crenshaw
Other feminists focus too much on concerns of white, m/c, western women
