Sociology of Personal life Flashcards
1
Q
Key Thinkers
A
- Carol Smart
- Petra Nordqvist
2
Q
Definition of the Family
A
- Developed alongside the interactionist approaches to the family. The personal life perspective takes the definition of the family beyond the ties of blood and marriage
- Without knowing the meaning behind the relationship we are unable to know how someone would behave
3
Q
Personal Life perspective
A
- By focusing on the meanings behind the relationships PLP suggests that we chose the families that we want and need, but these are based on past experiences rather than an open choice
- SMART AND NORDQVIST : Mothers noted that their definition of being a mother was more linked to the time taken to raise their child than the cell that started the process
4
Q
Evaluation
A
Can be accused of taking too broad a view. By including a wide range of family types and personal relationships it is possible to overlook what is special about relationships which are based on blood and marriage ties.
- This approach helps us to understand how people themselves construct and define ‘Family’ relationships
5
Q
Other significant relationships
A
- Friendships: feeling of closeness ‘like a sister/brother’
- Fictive Kin: Close friends who are treated as relatives
- Chosen Families: Supportive networks of friends, ex-partners and others
- Relationships with Dead relatives: Live on in people’s memories and shape their actions and identities
- Relationships with Pets: TRIPPER–> ‘Children often see pets as part of the family’
