sociological perspectives on family Flashcards
Marxists view on the role of education
critical view. family keeps the working-class in a state of false class consciousness. beleiving if they look after their family they will do well in life
ENGLES inheritance of property
- suggests family unit and monogamy evolved in response to the private ownership of property
- need for legitimate heirs to pass on the property led to control of sexual behaviors and the development of monogamous relationships
- patrilineal inheritance meant that in order to be sure of a child father, people formed monogamous relationships to protect claims on their property
Engles inheritance evaluation
functionalists argue that property isn’t inherited his way anymore as life is far more meritocratic
- little historical evidence of the ‘promiscuous horde’ that Engles describe as pre-dating inheritance and monogamy
murdocks 4 essential functions
- stabilisation of sex drive. being with the same pattern prevents social disruption
- reproduction of next generation
- socialisation of the young
- meeting its member’s economic needs
criticisms of Murdock in general
feminists think Murdock sees family through ‘rose-tinted’ glasses that the family meets needs both wider society and all different members of the family and ignores the fact that the family serves the needs of men and oppresses women
parsons functional fit
- geographically mobile workforce easier for compact nuclear families to move to work in modern industry
- social mobile workforce. need to be a nuclear family as a sons achieved status may outdo their fathers ascribed status and cause conflict
parsons two irreducible functions
- primary socialization of children
- stabilization of adult personalities
criticism parsons socialisation function
STACEY- socialization of children criticized by Stacy postmodernist who says children aren’t socialized into one dominant ideology anymore
the ideological function of socialization in the family MARXISM
socializing into the idea that hierarchy between women and men and men to capitalism is inevitable
paternal power over children accustom them to this idea that one day someone else will be in charge of them in the workplace and they will therefore be submissive.
Zaretsky MARXISM on the ideological function of a haven from capitalism
family performs ideological functions by offering an apparent ‘heaven’ from the harsh exploitative worked of capitalism outside
criticism of zartesky
parsons- warm bath theory its good for society
feminists- comfort of home allows for oppression of women through housework and domestic abuse
Marxists feminists would argue this could lead to capitalism induced domestic violence
criticisms of marxism socialization function
functionalist
children and families socialized into norms and values that benefit then rather than press them socialisation needed for value consensus that keeps society functioning
unit of consumption
mercuse- capitalism makes people have false needs and increases the alienation cause by capitalism by alienting family members from each other
- families play a major role in generating profits for capitalists
keeping up with the joneses
pester power
liberal feminism on role of family
don’t beleive that full gender equality has yet been achieved in the family. they argue of gradual progress
ex. some studies suggest that men are doing more work and domestic labour, while the way parents now socilase their sons and daughters is more equal than in the past they now have similar aspirations for them
criticisms of liberal feminism
other femists aruge that lib fems fail to challenge the underlying causes of woemns oppression and for believing that law can bringequality
radical and marxist femsaruge that instead that far reaching changes to unroot social structures
