Topic 3: Theories of the family Flashcards
Murdock functions of the family
Primary socialisation
economic cooperation
reproduction
sexual relationship
what family is seen as universal
nucleae family
Parsons two functions of the family
primary socialisation
stabilisation of adult personalities
warm bath theory
you have a safe space at home that is your comfort.
Murray - breakdown of the traditional nuclear family
Due to things like greater family diversity and more women being career driven, he argued that the nuclear family has broken down.
Murray - underclass
People who depend on benefits are seen as lazy (culture of dependency)
Children from lone parent families headed by women are more likely to under achieve due to a lack of a father figure and are more likely to turn to crime.
Marxist conflict view
argue that the family functions to maintain and reinforce capitalism.
private property - Engels
Due to monogamy, properties were held by males and passed down to their sons keeping it going.
Women’s roles were to provide their husbands with heirs and become baby carriers.
Criticisms of Engels
Wealth isn’t always passed on, some people can be cut off.
He made the assumption that everyone passes their inheritance on.
Zaretsky
The family is an escape route from oppression and exploitation from work, a place where male workers can be the ‘king of the castle’ and have control over their own lives at home.
But this is an illusion as work and home life cannot be kept seperate.
unit of consumption
The family continues to buy products of cpaitalism which allows them to make profits for their own businesses.
Pester power
where a child nags their parent continuously ubtil the parent gives in to their child’s request which benefits capitalists because parents are always buying things for their children.
Criticisms of Zaretsky
His view can be seen as romanticised because it only shows the happier side of the family. Men are able to control and dominate the family because they aren’t allowed to at work. Some families are toxic or in debt.
Ideological state appartus - Althusser
institutions use norms and values and socialisation to manipulate and control humans.
Family as ISA
insititutions that serve capitalism socialise people into an ideology where the ruling class brainwash them into thinking that their unequal class society is normal.
Capitalist views that the family promote
Work hard and you will get a good education
If you work hard you will succeed
If you fail it is your fault
Respect your elders
Radical feminist view on the family
Men are the cause of women’s oppression
Men exercise their patriarchal power and have control over women’s bodies
Marriage is a negative and outdated system and women should find alternative ways to live without men.
Marxist feminist view on the family
Women are dually oppressed through patriarchy and capitalism
Women are expected to absorb men’s frustration with capitalism through violence
Women’s economic position in society is weakened meaning they have become financially dependent on men
Liberal feminist view on the family
Acknowledge the changes that have been made to achieve equality
They want to educate and change people’s conceptions
Sexist attitudes and stereotypes are transmitted through gender role socialisation
Difference feminist view on the family
Most of feminism focuses on white women’s experience and doesn’t take into account that women in different types of households experience things differently.
Fictive kin
Close friends who are treated as relatives. E.g: your mums best friend who you call your auntie.
Smart - web of connectedness
People have more freedom on how they want to construct and decide their personal life
It depends on you past experience of family history, the expecations of the society you currently live in and other structural factors like class or gender inequalities. E.g: Living with same-sex family makes you want joint conjugal roles.
Smart and Nordqvist - donor-conceived children
More children are being born of donor conception due to reproductive technologies becoming more accessible.
dibling: siblings created from the same donor.
Criticisms of donor-conceived children
Surrogates can become attached
Boundaries can be blurred
Rejection
