Theories of the family

Functionalism is

a consensus perspective; they believe that society is based on the set of shared norms and values. (see society as a good thing)

Marxists and Feminists

have conflict perspectives/theories about society. (see society as a bad thing)

Murdock - Functionalism

regards society is a system made up of different parts or subsystems that depend on each other, he compares society to the human body. Organs such as the heart or lungs are vital for the body to work. The family, the education system and the economy are these vital organs, that are required for society to work. Family is the most important subsystem, and the family needs to perform 4 essential functions.

-          Stable satisfaction of the sex drive

o   You can only have intimacy with your partner or that would cause social destruction.

-          Reproduction of the next generation

o   If people stop having intimacy, then society would reduce and end

-          Socialisation of the young

o   Parents have to teach children things before they go to education (right or wrong) (primary socialisation)

-          Meeting its member’s economic need

o   Food and shelter

Evaluation – Every family cannot meet these needs, example with reproduction some couples may not be able to conceive children, this goes the same for same sex couples.

Parsons Functional Fit Theory - Functionalism

Parsons creates a distinction between nuclear family and extended family.

A nuclear family is; Husband, Wife, Immediate Children

An Extended Family is; three generations, Grandparents, Husband, Wife and Immediate Children

With the functional fit each type of family would fit the needs of society it is in. The nuclear family fits the industrial, the extended family fits the pre industrial.

1.      Geographical Mobile Workforce

a.      In pre industrial society the extended family spent their lives in the same village and spent their time working in the farms. So, the extended family was needs due to members. However, in modern society industries spring up and decline in different parts of the country and there are more job opportunities globally. So, it is easier for the nuclear family to move they’re in comparison to the three-generation nuclear family.

2.      Socially Mobile Workforce

a.      Society is devolving in terms of technology and science, so we need a skilled competent workforce, so we need members that are highly intelligent, even if they come from humble backgrounds, they are required to take these skilled jobs. In the extended family, your status is ascribed, for an example adult son that live at home with their father, they cannot take a better job than the father due to the fact that he is at the head of the household and his status is ascribed. Through moving out, and having their own nuclear family they are able to have high skilled jobs that are better than what the father has as now the status is not ascribed, instead achieved.

Evaluation – Young and Willmott (criticise)

The pre industrial family was not extended instead it was nuclear, as parents and children working together, in preindustrial times families were not actually extended it was nuclear.

Loss of functions - Functionalism

In the pre industrial family has two functions:

a.      Unit of productions

a.      This would mean that the family would work together and produce crops in order to sell for money.

b.      Unit of consumption

a.      Feeding and clothing the members in the family

Society has now changed due to industrialisation, so now the family changes from extended too nuclear. This shift would mean the unit of production has now been removed because of the factories however the unit of consumption (e.g., food and shelter) is still required. Parsons says that there are two new essential functions.

c.       Primary socialisation of children

a.      This would be teaching children basic norms and values before entering society, for an example teaching the children between right and wrong

d.      Stabilisation of adult personalities

a.      This means that when the adult is in a toxic work environment they come home to unwind with their families, this would stable their mindset. Come home to release tesnison.

 

Marxist believe society oppresses the poor due to capitalistic belief

Feminism believe society oppresses women due to patriarchal belief.

Ideological Functions - Marxist

Marxist believe that ideologies are a set of ideas and beliefs that justify inequality and makes people believe it is fair and natural. One way the family does this is by socialising children to believe hierarchy and inequality are inevitable, this is through parental power over children. The way parental power has over children, give the children a sense that someone must be in charge over them, which would mean in the work force (as an example) if they are getting treated poorly, and being underpaid they would not question as it is normalised.

 

A unit of consumption – Capitalism exploits the labour of workers because they make a profit by selling the products of their labour for more than it pays the to produce them. This creates a divide between the rich and the poor and promotes capitalism. This is further amplified through advertisements (urge families to consume the products), the media (targets children and pester power to get their parents what they would want, and if they lack these trends, they would get stigmatised in school for not having it).

 

Functionalists would argue that Marxists is being too negative and ignoring the good parts of society.

Feminists would argue that Marxists are not integrating the patriarchal beliefs.

Feminists

In reality there is 4 different types of feminists:

Liberal:

-          Argue for women’s rights

-          They do recognise the improvements in women’s rights – sex discrimination act 1975, equal pay act – changes to attitude in both sexes

-          They believe that women’s rights are being achieved

-          Society is still patriarchal, yet they understand they are moving to greater equality

-          More men are starting to cook, so they know that there is a sense of equality (Young and Wilmott)

Marxist Feminist:

-          Main cause of oppression is due to capitalism, they do not see men as an issue

Women reproduce the labour force

-          the next generation are taught unpaid domestic labour work that is being reproduced (they teach their girls)

-          Women absorb anger, men are alienated (separated, exploited at work) so when they get home they commit domestic violence, verbal abuse to the women – Ansley says that wives are takers of shit,

-          Women are reserve army of cheap labour, they can come to work when extra work is needed, so when they are not needed, they let them go

-          Women’s equality can be achieved when capitalism is gone

Radical Feminist:

-          They say men are the enemy

-          They are the source of women’s exploitation

-          The family and marriage are the key institution of a patriarchal family

-          Men benefit for women’s domestic labour and this can be through domestic or sexual violence

-          They think that the only way to be free is through separatism, women need to live free of men

Difference Feminist:

-          They say not all women share the same rights in itself

-          Not all women go through the same experiences, for example there is a difference between a lesbian woman and straight women/ white and black woman / and rich and poor woman (working class and middle class [and above] women)

 

 

 

Criticism

Other feminist would criticise liberal feminist because they think that changes in the law would bring equality, therefore they think they are naïve. They are not challenging women oppression and causes.

Radical feminists would say to Marxist feminist that oppression is not based of the capitalism it is based off the men.

Difference feminist would say to the feminists that they need to recognise the difference in experiences in women.

Liberal feminist would argue they are being extremely negative to the rest of the feminists because there are laws and regulations being put into place.

Other feminist would argue to difference feminist, all women share many of the same experiences, for an example dv.

Personal life perspective - Feminism

The beyond ties of blood and marriage.

For an example, a woman who may not feel close to her own sister and be unwilling to help her in a crisis may at the same time be willing to care for someone whom she is not related to like her best friend.

Personal life perspective draws attention to a range of other personal or intimate relationships that are important to people even though they may not be considered family.

-          Relationships with friends

o   Who may be like a sister or a brother to you

-          Fictive kin

o   Close friends who are treated as relatives for example of your mums best friend who you call “aunty”

-          Gay and lesbian ‘chosen families’

o   Made up of supportive network of friends, ex partners and others – not related by blood or marriage

-          Relationships with dead relatives

o   Who live on people’s memories and continue to shape their identities and affect their actions

-          Relationships with pets

o   Tipper (2011) children’s views of family relationships – children frequently saw pets as ‘part of their family’