Topic 3 - explaining family change? Flashcards
Introduction?
The family is a crucial institution in society, and changes within it impact broader social dynamics. Sociologists study the relationship between family structures and societal effects.
Changing norms and values?
Over the past 50 years, social norms around sexuality and family have shifted significantly. In the past, sex outside marriage was seen as shameful, leading to quick marriages in the event of pregnancy and hardship for unmarried mothers, who often faced forced adoptions. In 2013, 47.5% of children in England and Wales were born to unmarried mothers, many in long-term partnerships with the father, compared to less than 5% in 1938. The stigma surrounding childbirth outside marriage has diminished, resulting in an increase in single and cohabiting parents.
Legal changes and the family?
In the past 50 years, numerous laws affecting family life have been enacted, including the introduction of civil partnerships in 2004 and recognition of same-sex relationships in 2014, alongside increased awareness of LGBT issues. Annual legislation continues to influence family dynamics, such as tax changes and marriage/divorce laws. Sociologists debate whether these legal changes reflect evolving family values or public opinion. Courts can directly impact family life, as seen in 2013 when a court ordered MMR vaccinations for two sisters against their mother’s wishes. Parents have faced legal penalties for allowing children to skip school. The legal status of abortion has also shifted significantly, with its legalization in 1968 after a campaign driven by high maternal death rates from illegal procedures. Despite attempts to restrict abortion in 1974 and set time limits in 1990, the issue remains controversial.
Economics and family change?
The UK economy has undergone significant changes impacting family life, particularly with the decline of the traditional male breadwinner model. In 1911, 45% of British workers were employed in manufacturing, primarily men, but the service sector has since become the major employer, allowing both men and women to participate. As a result, fewer families are supported by a single male income, leading to an increase in female employment due to government policies encouraging women, especially mothers, to enter the workforce. This shift has empowered women to make financial decisions and delay childbearing while reducing their family size. Grandparents and commercial childcare have taken on caregiving roles, altering parent-child relationships.
Marriage is now seen as a choice rather than an economic necessity, with rising average ages and higher expectations for happiness, leading to increased divorce rates that are no longer stigmatized. Marxists argue that families have become units of consumption, targeted by advertising for goods like food, holidays, and technology, with children exerting “pester power” on parents to buy trendy items, ultimately benefiting capitalist interests.
Changing technology?
Technological advancements significantly impact society and family life, encompassing areas like medicine, transport, and fertility treatments such as IVF. Innovations like the microwave, developed in the 1940s, have reduced cooking time for working women. Silva (2009) argues that technology has transformed, but not harmed, family life, meeting social needs by helping families stay connected despite migration through mobile phones and social media. In contrast, Gergen (1991) views technology negatively, claiming it leads to family fragmentation, as families no longer gather for meals and instead disperse throughout the home due to better heating and entertainment options, creating what he terms the “saturated family.”
