F+H Changing family patterns

What are the changing patterns of divorce?

Since the 1960s, there has been a large increase in the number of divorces in the UK.

Divorce rates peaked in 1993 and have since fallen.

This is because now fewer ppl are getting married in the first place, instead choosing to cohabit.

What did the 1969 Divorce law reform act do?

Made ‘irretrievable breakdown’ of marriage the sole grounds for divorce, established by proving unreasonable behaviour, adultery, desertion or separation.

Also allowed couples to divorce after they had been seperated for two years if they both desired to (5 years if only one wanted to).

What are the six explanations for an increase in divorce?

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1. Changes in the law - widening the grounds for divorce + equalising for the sexes.

2. Declining stigma and changing attitudes - ‘divorce became more socially acceptable’, Mitchell and Goody

3. Secularisation - decline in the influence of religion on society, churches’ opposition less significant

4. Rising expectations of marriage. Fletcher argues that the higher expectations people place on marriage today are a major cause of rising divorce rates - higher expectations less likely to tolerate an unhappy marriage.

5. Women’s increased financial independence.

6. Feminist explanations - dual burden.

Partnerships: Why are fewer people marrying?

• more remarriages - “serial monogamy”- pattern of marriage, divorce, re-marriage.

• People are marrying later

• More cohabitation.

Reasons for changing patterns of marriage. 4

• Changing attitudes - less pressure to marry- the norm of marriage is weakened.

• Secularization - church influence declines - people feel freer to choose not to marry.

• Changes in the position of women - less economically dependent on men

• Fear of divorce.

What are some different households? 3

Cohabitation - rising due to decline in stigma surrounding sex outside marriage.

Same-sex relationships - impossible to judge if increased or not because in the past , stigma and illegality meant relationships were more likely to be hidden.

One-person households - big rise - three in ten households - mostly over 65 year-old men.

Parents and children: what are new childbearing patterns? 3

Nearly half of all children are now born outside of marriage (47%)

Women are now having children later (average late 20s now).

Women have had fewer children in the 20th century. More going childless.

Reasons for childbearing changes?

• births outside marriage increased due to decline in stigma and increase in cohabitation. Women have more choice than just motherhood e.g. a career.

What NEW RIGHT sociologists talks about lone-parent families.

CHARLES MURRAY sees the growth of lone-parent families as resulting from an over-generous welfare state providing benefits for unmarried mothers and their children.