Topic 6 Families and households

What is the modernist perspective on family diversity?

• Sees society as structured and predictable

• Nuclear family is dominant

What are the different modernist perspectives?

• Functionalism

• New RIght

• Neoconventional family

• Rapoports and the 5 types of family diversity

Functionalist argument + sociologist?

• Parsons

Argues there is a functional fit between the nuclear family and wider society, the nuclear family produces a geographical and socially mobile workforce and has ‘irreducible functions’ such as stabilisation of adult personalities along with primary socialisation of children. any other family type is seen to be deviant

What is the New Right view on family diversity?

• Benson and Amato

Conservative view, anti change and anti feminist. Nuclear family is natural and based on biological differences, decline in the nuclear family is the cause of many social problems, cohabiting more likely to break down by bension 15,000 babies 20% vs 6% breakdown. Amato- nuclear family children like likely to experience poverty

What are the criticisms of the new right?

• Ann oakley, nuclear family is not based on biological differences, the nuclear family is a social construct

• Coast found 75% of cohabiting couples plan to marry or see cohabitation as the step before marriage

What is the neo conventional family type + sociologist?

• Chester

Neo conventional family type has risen, but is not significant or negative just an acute shift towards this family type which is dual earner and symmetrical family.

He also argues most people are a part of the nuclear family throughout their life at the start middle or end of their life stage, nuclear family is still significant

What are the rappoports and the 5 types of family diversity?

• Argue diversity is central in understanding the family and society has moved away from the nuclear family type. No longer a ‘right family type’ and a trend which has been observed from all of europe not just uk.

• 5 Types of family, organisational cultural life cycle social class and generational diversity

Who are the postmodern theoriests of family diversity?

• Cheal

• Stacey

• Beck and giddens

• May and smart

What did Cheal argue?

• There is no longer a single dominant family type in the uk, which an example of greater choice and control over relationships but means there is greater instability amongst relationships

What did stacey argue and find in relation to family diversity?

• in 1998 conducted historical interviews of postmodern families in silicon valley and found that women were the main agents of control within the family and had freed themselves from patriarchal oppression, greater choice over divorce children, were able to reject the housewife role, had more diverse family types

How has the individualisation thesis impacted family diversity + sociologist?

• Beck and Giddens. Idea of class and gender has lost influence over us, standard biography lifecourse has been replaced with a do it yourself life course.

• Giddens states there is greater choice and equality as women have access to contraception and women gaining greater independence and the aim of the family has shifted from reproduction to fulfilling everyones needs and desires, like a ‘rolling contract’

Explain the personal life perspective and sociologists.

• May and smart

Argue that there is greater family diversity but are critical of the individualisation thesis as it is exaggerates the extent of personal choice, people are still highly influenced by social norms and ignored the influence of class and gender. Men are paid more have greater choice and greater freedom than women, women are more likely to have custody of kids during a divorce and so are less able to get into a new relationship.

Please put forward the key ideas of postmodernism and personal life perspective

INDIVIDUALISATIONT THESIS

• Giddens choice and equality

• Pure relationship

• Same sex couples as pioneers

• The negotiated family and the zombie family

PERSONAL LIFE PERSPECTIVE

• Critical due to exaggerates choice, sees people as free floating, ignores influence of structural factors

• CONNECTDNESS THESIS

• CLASS AND GENDER