Family Diversity

Parsons

 

Functional fit– nuclear= suited for society. Geographic + social mobility.

 

Benson

 

Higher chance of relationship breakdown if cohabiting v married. Marriage= stability.

 

Oakley

 

New Right assume roles are biologically fixed.

 

Chester

 

Neo-conventional family. Dual earning + symmetrical.

 

Rappoports

 

Types of diversity: organisational, social class, generational, cultural and life-stage.

 

Murray

 

Rise in lone mothers= due to welfare state. Creates dependency, perverse incentives and boys without male role models.

 

Stacey

 

Postmodern families= greater freedom of choice which benefits women.

 

Beck + Giddens

 

Individualisation thesis: diversity= increasing bc of more choice in relationships.

 

Budgeon

 

‘Freedom of choice’ is overexaggerated.

 

Weston

 

Same-sex couples create chosen families of support.

 

Beck + Beck-Gernsheim

 

Negotiated family. Untraditional, vary from family, more instability.

 

May

 

Personal Life Perspective. Family is what you make of it.