Topic 2- Family Diversity- Divorce Flashcards
How have the changes in law affected divorce?
Gradually changes in law made divorce easier: Divorce Reform Act 1969, Same Aex Marriage Act 2014
Doesn’t explain why more people should choose to take advantage of this freedom- just because people can do it doesn’t explain why they do it
How does declining stigma affect divorce?
-Juliet Mitchell and Jack Goody: change since 60s has been rapid decline in stigma attached to divorce
-Decline in stigma means divorce is more socially acceptable
-Becomes normalised
-From shameful- misfortune
-Despite change family remains fairly traditional- most couples divorce and re-marry
How does secularisation affect divorce?
-Decline in the influence of religion in society
-Traditional view of divorce from church holds less influence when making decisions
-Churches have also begun to soften their views on divorce and divorcees
-Protestantism is prominent in the Uk- number of first-time marriages in the Church is still demanded
How does rising expectations of marriage affect divorce?
-Fletcher: higher expectations is a major cause of rising divorce rates
-Couples less willing to tolerate an unhappy marriage
-Ideology of romantic love- marriage should be solely based on mutual love- rather than economic benefit
-Past- people had low expectations=less dissatisfied
-Functionalists: Fletcher takes an optimistic view- continuing popularity of marriage, fails to explain why women are likely to seek divorce
How does CPOW affect divorce?
-Improvements in women’s economic position- less financially dependent on their husband
-Freer to end unsatisfactory marriage
-Proportion of working women rose from 53% in 97’ to 67% in 2013
-Pay gap narrowed
-Success in education
-Welfare benefits
-Feminists: women are now wage earners as well as homemakers=new source of conflict so more divorce
How have feminist arguments affected divorce?
-Dual burden- paid work and housework which leads to conflict= inc in divorce
-Triple shift
-Public sphere of work- means legal changes so more progress, but in the private sphere- marriage remains patriarchal
-Hochschild- men remained resistant to housework, women were more valued in at work than at home
-Bernard- women are becoming dissatisfied with patriarchal marriage- more petition for divorce shows more women accepting feminist ideas
-New Right: traditional family us essential
How does modernity and individualisation affect divorce?
-Beck and Giddens- modern society= traditional norms disappearing
-Results in self-interest
-Relationships become more fragile as people are seeking ‘pure relationships’= more divorce
-Divorce rate ‘normalises’ divorce
-Functionalists: Pure relationships are breaking down norms and values hold society together
