Postmodernism Flashcards
What do postmodernists such as David Cheal say?
Start from the view that we no longer live in ‘modern’ society with its predictable, orderly structures such as the nuclear family. In their view, society has entered a new, chaotic, postmodern stage.
Describe postmodern society
There is no longer one single, dominant, stable family structure such as the nuclear family. Instead, family structures have become fragmented into many different types and individuals now have much more choice in their lifestyles, personal relationships and family arrangements.
What are the 2 key characteristics of postmodern society?
Diversity and fragmentation
Rapid social change
Describe Diversity and fragmentation
Society today is increasingly fragmented, with a greater diversity of cultures and lifestyles. People can create their identities and lifestyles from a wide range of choices e.g. youth subcultures, sexual preferences
Describe Rapid social change
New technology and the electronic media have dissolved old barriers of time and space, transformed our patterns of work and leisure, and accelerated the pace of change. One effect of this rapid social change is to make life less predictable.
What have the 2 characteristics of postmodern society resulted in?
Family life is less stable, but at the same time gives individuals more choice about personal relationships.
Also means family life is much more diverse.
What is an advantage of this greater diversity and choice?
It gives individuals greater freedom to plot their own life course - to choose the kind of family and personal relationships that meet their needs.
What is a disadvantage of this greater diversity and choice?
Greater freedom of choice in relationships means means a greater risk of instability, since these relationships are more likely to break up.
What does Stacey argue?
Greater freedom and choice has benefited women. It has enabled them to free themselves from patriarchal oppression and to shape their family arrangements to meet their needs.
For example, many of the women she interviewed had rejected the traditional housewife-mother role. They worked, returned to education, improved their job prospects, divorced and remarried. They often created new types of families that better suited their needs.
What family structure did Stacey identify?
The ‘divorce extended family’, whose members are connected by divorce rather than marriage. The key members are usually female and may include former in-laws e.g.mother and daughter in law or a man’s ex-wife and his new partner.
What do these family structures illustrate?
The idea that postmodern families are diverse and that their shape depends on the active choices people make about how to live their lives.
What does David Morgan argue?
It’s pointless trying to make large-scale generalisations about the family as if it were a single thing. Rather, a family is simply whatever arrangements those involved choose to call their family.
