Sociology- Family- Perspectives on The Family

What does Murdock believe about the family? (Functionalism)

Argues that the family performs four essential functions to meet the needs of society and its members:

-Reproductive

-Economic

-Sexual

-Teaching/socialisation

He also believes that family is the heart of society, and nuclear family is inevitable and universal.

What are some criticisms of Murdock? (Functionalism)

-Reject the 'rose-tinted' view of Functionalism.

-He ignores domestic abuse (feminism) and how society meets the needs of capitalism (marxists)

What does Parsons believe with his functional fit theory? (Functionalism)

Parson agrees that socialisation is key (primary socialisation and stabilisation of adult personalities)

-His functional fit theory argues that family structure changes overtime to ensure society runs smoothly. (extended family- pre industrial, nuclear family- modern)

-Also argues family has become more privatised because of social isolation, geographical mobility and reliance on the welfare state.

What is Parsons warm bath theory? (Functionalism)

A bath represents how the family should make you feel.

What does Fletcher argue? (Functionalism)

-Agrees family has become more specialised.

-Family don't offer non-essential necessary functions and it is now offered by the state.

-Family has 3 essential functions (reproductive, sexual, economic.)

What are the criticisms of functionalism?

-Ignore family diversity.

-Idealise the family.

-Ignore gender inequality.

-Ignore rising divorce rates.

What does Engels believe about the family? (Marxist)

Believes the family was created to support capitalism. This is through inheritance of private property where men had to make sure they had children to ensure that their wealth went to them, creating a family subservient to capitalism.

What are the ways the the family promotes capitalism? (Marxist)

-Family produces an obedient work force and they socialise their children into a false consciousness of accepting capitalism.

-Women's domestic work is unpaid.

-The family acts as a safety valve for the stresses and frustrations of working class men.

What does Althusser believe? (Marxist)

He claims that the family is part of the ideological state apparatus, which is a tool that the Government uses to pass on capitalist ideas so that we accept them.

What does Zaretsky believe? (Marxist)

Claims that society creates the illusion that the private life of the family is separate from the economy. Also believes that the main function of the family is to keep us from the realities of capitalism.

What are the criticisms of the Marxist perspective of the family?

-Do not recognise that women are oppressed also in the capitalist system.

-Ignore family diversity.

-Do not see the real function of the family (love).

-Family was not made to inherit property (nuclear family did not coincide with the emergence of capitalism).

-The family has other functions.

What does a liberal feminist believe about the family?

Do not believe gender equality has been fully reached in the family. Believe women's oppression is slowly being overcome but full equality will depend.

What does a Marxist feminist believe about the family?

They argue that the main cause of women's oppression is capitalism and a woman's function in the family serves capitalism. For example women reproduce the labour force, they absorb the anger aimed at capitalism (Ansley) and they are a reserve army of cheap labour.

What does a radical feminist believe about the family?

Believe family has been founded on patriarchy. They think that men are the enemy and the family/marriage is beneficial to men only. Greer argues for the creation of all-female families as an alternative to the heterosexual family/

What would a difference feminist believe?

Argue that we can not generalise women's experiences because every woman's experience is different. By arguing that the family is purely negative, white feminists neglect black women's experience of racial oppression.

What are the criticisms of a feminist perspective on the family?

Liberal- Fail to challenge the underlying cause for women's oppression.

Marxist- Not everything a woman does serves that capitalist system.

Radical- Sommerville says that they fail to recognise how women's rights have improved significantly.

Difference- Neglect that a lot of experiences of women are shared like low pay and sexual assault.

What do the New Right believe about families?

They see the family as the corner stone of society and necessary for society. Believe that as divorce, lone parent families, same sex marriages, societies moral standards have declined. Blame the over generous welfare state for encouraging a 'culture of dependency' creating an underclass lacking in morals.

What do Dennis and Erdos believe? (New Right)

-Increased children born out of marriage gives them a disadvantage.

-Concerned about how boys are being bought up without an expectation of adulthood.

-Families without fathers are not adequate.

What does Charles Murray believe? (New Right)

"No alternative family structure comes close to the merits of two parents, formally married"

What are the criticisms of the New Right belief of family?

-Homophobic (do not recognise same sex families)

-Idealise the past in 'rose tinted glasses'

-Blame the victims (single parents are the most vulnerable group in society)

-Ignore domestic abuse and violence (Nuclear family is not always the best place to raise children)

What does Antony Giddons believe? (Postmodernist)

-The choices that family have today that were limited in the past are: people have greater freedom to construct their own domestic arrangements. (Not bound by existing family forms and roles)

-Confluent love is deep emotional intimacy in which partners reveal there needs and concerns to each other. Commitment to the relationship lasts as long as the individual receives sufficient satisfaction and pleasure from the relationship.

How can we criticise Antony Giddons? (Postmodernist)

-He may have exaggerated people freedom to choose, for example lone parent families.

What does Judith Stacey believe? (postmodernist)

-Stacey sees family diversity as a reflection of post modern society. There is no one family form which everyone aspires too and there are no generally agreed norms and values.

- "Like postmodern culture, contemporary family arrangements are diverse, fluid and unresolved"

What is the story of Pam and Dotty? (Stacey's research)

Pam and Dotty were housewife's in the 50s/60s. They took a course at college and were exposed to feminist ideas and decided to leave their husbands. Shows that with exposure people can leave their marriages.

What are some statistics about how the family has changed? (Postmodernism)

-Civil partner/married couples remain the most common family type in the uk in 2019 (2/3 of UK)

-2.9million lone parent families in the UK in 2019

-Number of people living alone has increased by a 5th over the last 20 years.

What is the personal life perspective on the family?

Personal life sociologists take a bottom up approach to the family. It emphasises the meanings that individual family members hold and how this shapes peoples actions and relationships. It is strongly influenced by post-modern and interactionist ideas. They take a wider view on relationships and emphasises the importance of memory, family secrets and the importance of possesions.

What are some of the relationships that personal life sociologists see as significant and give people identity etc?

Friends, fictive kin, gay/lesbian 'chosen families', dead relatives and pets.

What does Nordquvist and Smart's donor conceived children study show? (Personal Life)

They found that the issue of blood and genes could flare up a range of feelings with family as the focus.

What are the criticisms of the personal life perspective?

-Ignore what is special about relationships.

-Take a too broad view.