Perspectives Flashcards
Functionalist view on Family?
Is that all institutions in society has an important role which is social cohesion and social stabolity
Parson view on Nuclear Family?
Nuclear family is universal because its more isolated ‘privatised nuclear famiy’
Parson explores Domestic ‘Divison of labour’ males and females have specific roles based on biological characteristics?
Instrumental role
Expressive role
Parson says the family has two functions?
Primary Socialisation
Stablisation of Adult personalities
Functional Fit ?
Parson suggest the nuclear family has become socially and geographically mobile
Evaluation of Parson
-Outdated because women are now out and working and the biological roles set out by parson no loner apply to society
-Down play the role of conflict in the family-Particulry opression of women and domestic violence because family is not always safe as parson suggested
Murdock believes nuclear family 4 functions:
Sexual
Reproduction
Socialisation
Econmic
Evalution of Murdock
-Feminst criticm of Murdock ideas fail to acknowledge that that a father does not have to part of a family
-Marxist suggest that Murdock ignores that capitalism which reproduces the next generation of workers controlling the ability so they dont challenge ruling class
-Outdated as it fails to acknowledge changing gender roles and great diversity of family
Marxism View of Family?
Family is a tool of capitalism and its main function is to maintain capitalism and reinforce social inequality
Engels view on Family (Inheritance of Wealth)?
Family unit evolved in response to private ownership of property because need legitimate heir to pass the property so they need to have a monogamosu relationship to protect their wealth from being distributed amongst the community-Patriarchal inheritance
Zaretsky view on Family (Unit of Consumption)?
-Industial era family would often consume good rather than produce them, Workers labour would exchange for wages that allow them to buy good and this made them go from producers to consumer
-Family is targeted by advertisment to buy products as they ‘Keep up with the Jones’ and target children to use pester power to ensure they have the latest things
Althusser view on Family (ISA )
Family is a ideological state apparatus its used by Ruling class to control the working class by socialising children into acceptable behaviour
Zaretsky view on Family (Cushion effect)?
It’s similar Parsons Warm Bath theory in that family acts as a comfort from stresses in society.He believes family allows a man to feel powerful and in control which they don’t in a workplace due to bourgeoisie oppression.This also maintains capitalism as it prevents the proletariat from recognising their oppression and starting revolution
Criticism of Marxism
-Feminist criticised Engels on how he sees the role of women and children being influenced solely by economic but Feminists argue its patriarchal control over women
-Althusser idea is Deterministic how family roles are emphasised in maintaining capitalism and ignores other inequalities such as role of family maintaining patriarchy
-Feminst argue that Zaretsky lack of focus on female role within family and how women are absorbing the anger of workers ‘the slaves of wage slaves’ shows Zaretsky doesn’t focus on women
Feminist view on Family
Family is a tool of female oppression
Women do two types of traditional roles in the family?
-Dual burden (Traditional Role)-Emotional support and Domestic labour
-Triple Shift-Emotional support and Domestic labour and paid work
3 types of Feminist and the view ?
Liberal Feminists
Marxist Feminists
Radical Feminist
Liberal Feminist view on Family?
Families are slowly becoming more equal through changes in law and social attitudes ‘March of progress’ e.g. women can focus on careers. They don’t believe equality has been achieved
Radical Feminist view on Family
-men are the enemy and marriage and family is the reason why patriarchy exist
-They believe to achieve equality patriarchy needs to be overturned.They argue family needs to be abolished and Separatism needs to happen
-Greer says Matrifocal households is better because all female shares parental responsibility
Marxist Feminist view on Family ?
-Family as a tool of capitalism it’s not men who oppress women but capitalism
-3 way family are oppressing women:
1)Women reproduce the workforce and socialise them into hierarchy
2)Women absorbs men’s anger because frustrated by their alienation and explanation
-Ansley-“Women are takers of shit”
3)Women are reserve army of cheap labour are use when needed and let go when no longer needed e.g. WW2
Intersection Feminism view in Family?
Just as not all women will have same family experience e.g. Black women find her family provides a refuge from society racism rather than a place for oppression and negativity
Evaluation of Liberal Feminist?
-Overstates the amount of progress that has been made women still have the triple shift
-liberal Feminist fail to challenge the underlying causes of women oppression and changing the law is not enough to bring equality
Evaluation Marxist Feminism?
-Women are no longer reserve labour force as they have equal rights at work and men to be breadwinner in family
Evaluation Intersectional Feminism?
-Neglects the fact that many women shared the same experiences in Family regardless of ethnicity or social class example they all face risk of domestic violence
