Theories of Family Diversity

Postmodernism, the New Right, Functionalism & Feminism

What did Rapoport & Rapoport (1982) argue about family diversity?

• the nuclear family is no longer dominant

• society contains five types of family diversity

What are the five types of family diversity identified by Rapoport & Rapoport (1982)?

• organisational

• cultural

• class

• life-stage

• generational diversity

How does postmodernism view family diversity?

• there is no longer a single dominant family structure

• individuals have greater choice over family life

What did Cheal (1993) argue about the family?

society has become postmodern, meaning no stable family structure dominates

What did Stacey (1998) argue about family diversity?

greater choice has benefited women by allowing them to escape patriarchy and create families that suit them

What is the divorce-extended family according to Stacey (1998)?

kin networks linked by divorce rather than marriage (e.g., a divorced woman still considering her ex-husband’s family her family)

What did Morgan (2011) argue about studying families?

sociologists should focus on how individuals create family lives rather than generalising about the family

What is the individualisation thesis?

the idea that individuals have increasing freedom to shape their relationships and family lives

Which sociologists are associated with the individualisation thesis?

Giddens & Beck

What is a pure relationship according to Giddens (1992)?

a relationship based on love and satisfaction rather than tradition or duty

How do pure relationships increase family diversity?

they can create lone-parent families, one-person households, and stepfamilies

What is the negotiated family according to Beck?

a family where roles are based on personal choice rather than tradition

Why are negotiated families more fragile according to Beck?

individuals leave when relationships no longer meet their needs

What are the two main criticisms of the individualisation thesis?

• exaggerates choice

• ignores constraints such as class, gender, and culture

How does the New Right view the nuclear family?

it should be the norm but is in decline

Why does the New Right believe the nuclear family is declining?

• marriage decline

• welfare dependency

• state interference

• changing gender roles

What does Murray (1990) mean by a dependency culture?

individuals rely on benefits rather than employment

How do Functionalists view the nuclear family?

it remains the most important family form because it performs essential functions for society

Why did Parsons argue that the nuclear family fits industrial society?

• socialises children

• stabilises adult personalities

• geographical mobility

What did Chester (1985) argue about family diversity?

it has been exaggerated and the nuclear family has evolved into the neo-conventional family

What is the neo-conventional family according to Chester (1985)?

a dual-earner family where both partners work

How do radical feminists view the nuclear family?

as a patriarchal institution that exploits women

How do Marxist feminists explain the persistence of the nuclear family?

capitalism needs the nuclear family to reproduce and maintain the workforce

What is the life cycle approach?

the view that most individuals experience a nuclear family at some stage in their lives

How does the life cycle approach challenge claims of family decline?

the nuclear family reappears throughout different stages of life

Why are Functionalism, the New Right, and most feminist perspectives considered modernist?

they take a top-down view of family life