Topic 6: Family Diversity Flashcards
Functionalist perspective on modernism and the nuclear family
What is the functionalist perspective on modernism and the nuclear family (use sociologist)
Functionalism has been described as ‘modernist’ (they see modern society as having a clear and predictable structure). They see the nuclear family as being the best family type as it helps to perform certain essential functions.
Parsons - there is a similarity between the nuclear family and modern society. Parsons sees the nuclear family as uniquely suited to meeting the needs of modern society such as a geographical/ social mobile workforce and for primary socialisation/ stabilisation of adult personalities.
This helps to keep society stable and keep society effective.
Because the nuclear family is able to perform these functions it is the family type that is best suited to modern society ‘functionally fit’.
Other family types are dysfunctional, abnormal and deviant as they are less able to perform the functions required of the family.
New Rights perspective on modernism and the nuclear family
What is the New Rights perspective on modernism and the nuclear family
The New Right has been described as ‘modernist’ (they see modern society as having a clear and predictable structure). They see the nuclear family as being the best family type as it helps to perform certain essential functions.
They have a conservative and anti-feminist perspective on the family.
They oppose family diversity e.g cohabitation, gay marriage and lone parenthood and believe that the only correct family type is the traditional nuclear family with men as the breadwinner and women being the homemaker.
The New Right believe that the nuclear family is natural and based on biological differences between men and women.
They argue that the decline of the traditional nuclear family and the growth of family diversity are the cause of many social problems.
New Rights perspective on modernism and the nuclear family
Why don’t the New Right like lone parent families?
The New Right see the growth of lone-parent families as being harmful to children.
e.g Lone mothers cannot discipline their children properly - Speaking in Standard English and doing well at school were often viewed with suspicion by their peers and seen as ‘selling out’ to the white establishment so they don’t try.
e.g Lone-parent families leave boys without an adult male role model, resulting in educational failure, delinquency and social instability. Sewell (2009) - no father figure -leads to behavioural problems in adolescents as they haven’t been taught how to behave (men instil the role of being firm, fair, respectful and non-abusive discipline).
e.g Such families are also likely to be poorer and thus a burden on the welfare state and taxpayers
The New Rights perspective on the cohabitation vs marriage
What is the New Rights perspective on the cohabitation vs marriage
The main reason for lone-parent families is because of the breakdown of relationships between cohabiting couples. Benson (2006) - found that the rate of family breakdown was much higher in cohabiting couples (20%), compared with 6% among married couples.
Only marriage can provide a stable environment in which to bring up children e.g Benson (2010; 2011) - couples are more stable when they are married such as the rate of divorce among married couples is lower than the rate of breakups among cohabiting couples.
Marriage is more stable as it requires a deliberate commitment to each other, whereas cohabitation allows partners to avoid commitment and responsibility.
Benson argues that government needs to encourage couples to marry by means of policies that support marriage.
Criticism of the New Rights perspective on the nuclear family
Feminist: Oakley (1997) - the New Right assumes that husbands and wives’ roles are fixed by biology whereas cross-cultural studies show great variation in the roles men and women perform within the family such as men being more domestic and doing more housework.
Feminists argue that the conventional nuclear family favoured by the New Right is based on the patriarchal oppression of women and is a crucial cause of gender inequality. It prevents women working, keeps them financially dependent on men, and denies them an equal say in decision-making.
The New Right view that marriage equals commitment, while cohabitation does not, has been challenged. However, some people see cohabitation as temporary whereas others see it as a permanent alternative showing that it is still a life long commitment to be with one person (same as marriage)
The Neo-conventional family:
What is the Traditional and Neo-conventional family (use sociologist)
Chester (1985) - argues there is a move the traditional or conventional nuclear family to the ‘neo-conventional family’.
The Traditional/Conventional Family – (declining) the Traditional nuclear family with ‘segregated roles’ e.g male breadwinner and female homemaker.
The Neo-Conventional Family (the new norm) – a dual-earner family in which both spouses go out to work.
The neo-conventional family:
What is the Neo-conventional family (use sociologist)
Chester (1985) - argues there is the move from the traditional or conventional nuclear family to the ‘neo-conventional family’.
Neo-conventional family - family where both spouses work (dual-earner) not just the husband.
Chester argues that most people choose not to live in alternative family types compared to the nuclear showing how the nuclear family remains the ideal to which most people aspire.
The Neo-conventional family:
How can it be argued that the nuclear family is still the most dominant family type (use sociologist)
Chester (1985) argues that although many people are not part of a nuclear family at any one time those who are currently living in one-person household e.g widows, divorcees were part of a nuclear family in the past or will be.
Statistics on household composition are therefore misleading because they’re a snapshot of a single moment in time. They don’t show us the fact that most people will spend a major part of their lives in a nuclear family.
e.g. Most adults marry and have children. Most children are raised by their two birth parents.
e.g. Cohabitation has increased, but for most couples it is a temporary phase before marrying. Most couples get married if they have children.
e.g. Most marriages continue until death. Divorce has increased, but most divorcees remarry.
The extent and importance of family diversity has been exaggerated. Chester sees the nuclear family as dominant.
The 5 types of family diversity:
What are the 5 types of family diversity (use sociologist)
The Rapoports (1982) - believe that we have moved away from the traditional nuclear family as the dominant family type, to a range of different types.
These family types are:
Organisational diversity - The differences in the ways family roles are organised
Social class diversity -differences in family structure based on income differences between households of different social classes.
Life stage diversity - family structures differ according to the stage reached in the life cycle
Generational diversity - older and younger generations have different attitudes and experiences that reflect the periods in which they have lived.
Post modernism and family diversity:
What are post-modernists views on the society
Postmodernists believe that we no longer live in ‘modern’ society with predictable and orderly structures such as the nuclear family.
They believe that society has entered a new postmodern stage.
In postmodern society, there is no dominant, stable family structure e.g the nuclear family.
Instead, family structures have many different types and people have more choice in their lifestyles, personal relationships and family structures.
Post modernism and family diversity:
What are the advantages/disadvantages of having greater diversity and choice with family types
Advantage - People have more freedom to choose the kind of family and personal relationships that meet their needs.
Disadvantage - More freedom/ choice in relationships means greater risk of instability and means that relationships are more likely to break down.
Post modernist perspective on families
What are Post-Modernists views on the family (use sociologists)
Stacey (1998) argues that because there is more freedom and choice this has massively benefitted women as it enables them to free themselves from patriarchal oppression and to shape their family in a way that meet their needs.
She found that many of the women she interviewed had rejected the traditional housewife-mother role. These women had often created new types of family that better suited their needs. e.g ‘divorce-extended family’ (whose members are connected by divorce rather than marriage).
This helps to show that postmodern families are diverse and that their shape depends on choices people make about how to live their lives e.g. whether to get divorced, cohabit, come out as gay etc.
Morgan (1996; 2011) - there is not point making large-scale generalisations about ‘the family’ as a family is people choose to call their family. Sociologists should focus their attention on how people create their own diverse family lives and practices.
The individualisation thesis:
What is the individualisation thesis? (use sociologists)
Giddens and Beck show the effects of increasing individual choice on families and relationships (individualisation thesis). This change has had a massive impact for family relationships and family diversity
The individualisation thesis argues that traditional social structures such as class, gender and family have lost their influence over us
in the past people’s lives were defined by fixed roles that prevented them from choosing how they wanted to live life. However in todays society people are free to live how they want to. There is no reason to conform.
According to the individualisation thesis we have become freed or from traditional roles and structures allowing us to have freedom to choose how we lead our lives.
Choice and equality
What are Post-modernist views on choice and equality (use sociologist)
Giddens (1992) - The family and marriage have been changed by greater choice and a more equal relationship between men and women.
Giddens - In the past, traditional family relationships were held together by laws and religion condemning divorce and sex outside marriage.
However couples now are free to define their relationship themselves instead of having roles enforced by the law or religion e.g couple nowadays don’t have to marry to have children and divorce is accessible.
Choice and equality
How has greater choice lead to men and women being more equal in their relationship (use sociologist)
Giddens (1992) - The family and marriage have been changed by greater choice and a more equal relationship between men and women.
Contraception has allowed sex and intimacy rather than reproduction to become the main reason for having a relationship.
Women have gained independence as a result of feminism and because of greater opportunities in education and work leading them to be equal to men.