Perspectives

Question 1

Functionalism:

Answer 1

Murdock = The nuclear family is the only correct family type
1. Satisfaction of the sex drive
2. Reproduction
3. Meeting economic needs
4. Primary socialization
Parsons = Performs reduced functions due to the functional fit theory, Fletcher is an evaluation as they disagree, family have more responsibility
1. Primary socialization (Gender role socialization)
2. Stabilization of the adult personalities (Warm bath theory)
Evaluation =
- Outdated views of gender roles (Instrumental and expressive)
- Rose tinted view, they ignore harmful effects
- Ignore sexual exploitation of the division of labour
- Ignores the dark side of the family (domestic violence and child abuse)

Question 2

Marxism:

Answer 2

Engles = The nuclear family emerged with capitalism
1. Inheritance of property (monogamy was essential)
2. Ideological functions = Althusser said the family is an ideological state apparatus to socialize the ruling class ideology to create a false class consciousness. Zaretsky suggests that the family performs a haven for the harsh world of capitalism however argues it is false
3. Unit of consumption (Keeping up with the Joneses and pester power)
Evaluation =
- Not applicable to 21st century as it ignores women working
- People can marry for love and not social obligation (Engles ignores this)
- Ignores other family types
Feminism = Emphasize social class underestimating the importance of gender inequalities
Functionalism = Marxism ignores benefits of the nuclear family

Question 3

Feminism:

Answer 3

• They argue family oppresses women due to the unequal division of labour and domestic violence
• Gender inequality is socially constructed
• Ann Oakley believes that housework is hard, unrewarding and unnatural to a women’s role (The Sociology of Housework)
• Feminists argue the symmetrical family is a myth and women suffer a dual burden
• Women have a greater dependency on men’s earnings
  Radical Feminism = Societies are based on patriarchy, men are the enemy and source of women oppression. Family and Marriage are key institutions that disadvantage women
• They want separatism, political lesbianism and matrilocal households
  Marxist Feminism = Capitalism is the main sauce of women’s oppression, they serve certain functions for capitalism
  Women reproduce the labour force
  Women absorb anger and soak up husband’s frustration (Fran Ansley)
  Women are a reserve army of cheap labour
• They want family to be abolished and a communist revolution
  Liberal Feminism = Somerville suggests women oppression is gradually approving through change in law and attitude
• They want greater reforms for a flexible family and change in socialization of gender roles
  Evaluation =
• Uncovers the dark side of the family
• Identify the patriarchal nature of family and society
• Base their ideas on the traditional nuclear family
• Ignores women as breadwinners
• Ignores some women choosing expressive roles
• Ignores abuse against men within the family

Question 4

The New Right:

Answer 4

• They are firmly opposed family diversity
• They believe in the one correct family type of the patriarchal nuclear family which includes the sexual division of labour and gender roles
• The nuclear family provides correct primary socialization which creates stability
• Family should be based on fundamental biological differences
• Society is not functional due to the nuclear family being under threat, this is because social attitude change, women employment and family diversity
  **Charles Murray **= Welfare policies have undermined the nuclear family giving perverse incentives for lone parent families
• The Welfare State has created a dependency culture and underclass which means people will not want to work and encourages teen pregnancy, the economic function is now performed by the state, this means there is no need for family to stay together and promotes lone parent families
  Evaluation =
• Blames poverty rather than finding explanations for people needing financial help
• They use statistics to show non-nuclear families are a problem, such as broken families and lone parents
• They exaggerate the decline of the nuclear family
• Feminism say gender roles are not biological, they are socially determined
• Feminism says divorce is easier and more accessible as they are not trapped in unhappy or abusive relationships
• Chester argues The New Right exaggerate the extent of family diversity
• Single parents are not welfare scroungers but struggle to balance childcare and work

Question 5

Personal life perspective:

Question 6

Post-modernism:

Answer 6

• Society is changing rapidly marked by chaos and uncertainty, this means it creates many different lifestyles and interests
• There is now greater diversity and incessant choice as we are not bound by societal structures
• They say we have more choice because secularization, globalization, education and change in social attitudes
• They say that there cannot be one dominant family type in contemporary society
• Diversity and consumer choice means that this has disintegrated the traditional family
• People expect choice over goods which applies to relationships
• Individuals pick and choose relationships as it suits them (The supermarket of life)
• Online dating can explain serial monogamy, this is because of media saturation
• People spend longer training for their jobs which takes up more time so they have less time for relationships
  Beck and Gernsheim = We have freed traditional roles which means we can choose the family that meets our needs at that point
  Gidden = This transformation has caused the availability of contraception and female independence, this has created a pure relationship
  Pure Relationship = Maintaining the relationship because it meets emotional and sexual needs
• Stacey argues greater freedom has benefitted women to free themself from patriarchal oppression, many women reject the traditional housewife role choosing extremely varied life paths.
• Stacey noted the new type of family type, the divorce extended family, they remained in touch with ex in-laws to help domestically or financially
  Evaluation =
• Anthony Giddens suggests there is still societal structures that influence choice
• They overemphasize the amount of choice people have in relationships
• Life pushes decisions of relationships onto people
• Feminists argue they still face traditional gender roles that disadvantage women