Topic 3- Theories of the family Flashcards
Explain the organ analogy that the functionalists use
The human body is made up of different parts that function together to meet its needs and maintain it.
-Functionalists believe society does the same, in which it is made up of interdependent parts (eg. the education system, the government, religion etc) that work together to maintain the social system as a whole.
What does functionalist Murdock say about the function of the family?
The nuclear family performs 4 functions
-Socialisation of young
-Satisfaction of the families economic needs
-Reproduction of the next generation
-Stable satisfaction of sex drive
What is Parsons’ functional fit theory say?
The functions that the family perform depend on the type of society in which they are found:
- Pre-industrial society - extended family - had the function of production and consumption
- Modern society: nuclear family - have the function of social and geographical mobility
What does Parsons’ say the two irreducible functions left are for the modern family
1-Primary socialisation of the young - equipping the next generation with basic skills and society’s values.
2-Stabilisation of adult personalities - enabling adults to relax so they can return to the workplace and perform their roles effectively.
What does Marxist Engels say about the function of the family?
The family exists so men can pass their private property onto their biological offspring, notably a son. Through the inheritance of property
What does Marxist Zaretsky say about the function of the family?
There is an ideological function of the family called the ‘cult of private life’ - this is the belief that we can only gain fulfilment from family life, which distracts attention from exploitation.
What does Marxist Poulantaz say about the function of the family?
Nuclear families are brainwashed into thinking capitalism is fair.
- Teaches lower generations how to conform and co-operate with the capitalist system.
What are the three functions of the family according to Marxists?
-Inheritance of property
-Ideological functions
-Unit of consumption
What are some criticisms of the Marxist perspective?
-Ignores variant of family structures today
-Feminists: Marxist underestimate importance of gender inequalities .
-Functionalists: Argue marxists ignore benefits family provides.
What is the liberal feminists perspective on the family?
-Take a march of progress view in suggesting gender inequality is gradually being overcome through reform and policy change
-Changes people’s attitudes towards socialisation and challenges stereotypes. For example, the new man is becoming more widespread.
What is the marxist feminist perspective on the family?
Capitalism is the main form of women’s oppression in the family and this performs several functions for capitalism:
-Reproducing the labour force, women socialise the next generation of workers.
-Absorbing men’s anger, wives soak up their husband’s frustration from being exploited at work.
-Reserve army of cheap labour
Ansley - Women are the takers of shit
What is the radical feminist perspective on the family?
-The family and marriage are the key institutions in a patriarchal society, meaning that men benefit from the women’s unpaid domestic labour and sexual services, as well as dominate them through violence or the threat of it.
-Radical feminists also believe the patriarchal system needs to be overturned, and the only way to achieve this is through separatism, meaning women need to organise themselves to live independently to men.
Greer = matrilocal households
Somerville = seperatism
What are difference feminists view on families?
Not all women share the same experience of oppression; women of different ethnicities, class, age etc may have different experiences of the family.
What is the new right’s perspective on families?
A biologically-based division of labour - the division of labour between a male breadwinner and a female homemaker is natural and biologically determined.
-Families should be self-reliant - reliance on state welfare leads to a dependency culture and undermines traditional gender roles. It produces a family breakdown and an increase of lone-parent families, which results in social problems due to poor socialisation.
What is the personal life perspective on families?
Looks at relationships that individuals see as significant and gives a sense of identity, belonging and relatedness (pets, friends etc.). Interactionists believe that structural approaches assume that the traditional nuclear family is the dominant type of family. This ignores the increased diversity of families today.
Explain Smarts study on donor conceived children.
-Difficult feelings could flare up for non-biological parent
-Lesbian couples had concerns about whether the donor may be considered the real second parent.
What is some evaluations of the personal life perspective?
-can take too broad of a view
-Ignores what is special about relationships that are based on blood and marriage.
-Rejects top down view taken by other perspectives
-Relatedness is not always positive.
