Topic 5 Family Diversity

What perspectives are described as modernisy and how do they see society?

• New right and functionlists

• They see modern society as having a fairly fixed clear cut and predictable structure. They see the best family type as the nuclear family type

How do functionlists view family diversity?

• Patsons believes there is a functional fit between the nuclear family and modern society, it is suited to meet societies needs such as performing two irreducible functions like primary socialisation and stabilisation of adult personalities

• Other family types can be viewed as dysfunctional or deviant as they are less able to perform the functions required of the family

How do the New Right view family diveristy?

• The new right have a conservative and anti feminisy perspective of the family. The nuclear family is the only correct family type, with a clear breadwinner husband and homemaker wife

• They see this family type as natural due to biological differences

What do the New Right strongly oppose?

• They strongly oppose lone parent families as they view them harmful to children for 3 reasons like

• Lone mothers cannot discpline their children properly

• lone parent families leave boys without an adequate male role model leading to educational failure

• these families are likely to be poorer and thus be a burden on the welfare state and taxpayers-

What do the New Right strongly oppose cohabitation?

The NR claim the main cause for the lone parent family type is the collapse of relationships between cohabiting couples. Couples are more stable when they are married as mariage required a deliberate commitment to one another whilst cohabitation can avoid commitment and responsibility

What sociologisst provides evidence against cohabitation and what was his evidence?

• Benson

• Benson completed a study on 15,000 babies and found the rate of family breakdown was much higher among cohabiting couples. 20% compared with only 6% of married couples.

• Marriage provides a stable environment to raise children