sociologists view of the family

Functionalism

E: Murdock: Family is a structure within an interconnected society (organic analogy)

4 functions:

stable satisfaction of sex drive, reproduction, primary socialisation, meeting economic needs eg. food & shelter

R: Parsons- functions & structure of a family depends on the society its in

nuclear is a geographically and socially mobile workforce- compact and able to move to jobs - structurally isolated from relatives so no obligations → works in industrial society

has meant a loss of functions - unit of consumption not production- lost functions to other institutions eg. health services → functions are now primary socialisation and SOAP

C: Marx- main function of family is to be a unit of consumption for capitalism →workers buy their products for more than the cost of labour- illusion of choice benefits FCC

Marxist

ideological functions- socialises children to believe hierarchy & inequality are inevitable- maintains capitalism —

E: Engel- monogamy is essential in modern society to ensure inheritance of private property & rise of nuclear family= defeat of female sex—> sexuality under male control & instrument for production of children

R: Zaretsky- family creates a haven from work- an illusion that benefits FCC and exploits domestic role of women

C: functionalists eg. Murdock- nuclear family meets needs of society and ensures it functions

radical feminism

P: women are exploited for sex and free labour and dominated through violence by men

E: Ansley- women are ‘takers of shit’ - absorb anger that should be directed at the workplace= domestic violence

R: Greer- overturn patriarchy through separatism matrifocal households—> children stay with mothers till they die

political lesbianism- heterosexual relationships are exploitative and ‘sleeping with the enemy’

C: Sommerville- ignore progress and that political lesbianism is impractical due to attraction

liberal feminism

campaign for equality in all areas- women’s oppression can be overcome by changes in the law eg. sex discrimination act 1975

P: believe family is becoming more equal- men do domestic work and less gender socialisation

E: Millet- sees family as patriarchal system where men exercise power over women

R: Sommerville- women now have rights to contraceptive and divorce

C: Firestone- women are trapped under the patriarchy due to their child bearing role→ ignores how rooted the oppression of women is in society

marxist feminism

P: root of women’s oppression is capitalism

E: Bernston- women provide a reserve army of labour women reproduce and maintain the labour force through unpaid domestic labour

R: Ansley- ‘women are takers of shit’- absorb anger that should be directed at capitalism

family must be abolished in socialist revolution

Criticism: unclear alternatives in a classless society without families

personal life

P: rejects structural & top down views

wider view of family then blood and marriage ties

fictive kin, gay or lesbian chosen families, dead relatives and pets

E: Tipper- study of children’s views of family found they saw pets as part of it

R: Nordquist & Smart- studied donor parent families and found blood and genes raised conflicting feelings→ parents emphasised family is based on a sense of belonging

C: Chester- exaggerates family diversity as most aspire to the nuclear family