5. Changing Family Pattern

Summary

Family diversity has increased significantly.

Types include:

• Nuclear families

• Extended families

• Lone-parent families

• Reconstituted families

• Same-sex families

• Childless families

Debate exists over whether diversity has truly increased.

Rapoport and Rapoport

Five types of diversity

• Organisational diversity.

• Cultural diversity.

• Social class diversity.

• Life-stage diversity.

• Generational diversity.

1. Name 4 sociologists who talk about Family diversity

2. What does Cheal (postmodernist) say?

1. Cheal, Stacey, Chester (Ch,S,W,C)

2. Family diversity

   • There is no dominant family type and Modern families are highly varied.

• Diversity reflects choice and increased individualisation

What does Stacey say?

Family fragmentation

• Traditional nuclear family declining.

• Diverse family structures increasing due to women’s choices

• Women reshape family structures.

What does Weeks say?

3. Population trends

   • Migration causes Demographic changes and reshapes society.

   • Family forms adapt.

   • E.g. Matrifocality and the Caribbean Family: In Jamaican sociology, the nuclear family is not the universal standard. Matrifocal lone-parent families—where mothers are the primary heads of household, decision-makers, and breadwinners

   • e.g. Extended Nuclear - South Asian families (grandparents offer support and family is often patriarchal)

   • New family structures influence policy. E.g. Universal credit for lone parent families(extra money)

What does Chester say?

Criticism of diversity view

• Nuclear family still dominant.

• Most people still marry.

• Diversity may be exaggerated.