Ethnic Differences in Family Patterns & the Extended Family

How has increased ethnic diversity affected family patterns?

Greater ethnic diversity = increased family diversity

What are the trends for black families?

Over half of black Caribbean & African families with dependent children were lone-parent families, and over half of black Caribbean mothers are never-maried lone-parents

What are the reasons for trends of black families?

During slavery, couples were sold separately but children were kept with their mothers; black men face higher levels of unemployment which can break down the family; Mirza argues black women value independence more

What are the rates of marriage among black couples?

Black couples also have lower rates of marriage, higher rates of mixed marriage, and are twice as likely to divorce than white people

How do average household sizes of Asian families compare with other ethnic groups?

Bangladeshi, Pakistani & Indian households tend to be larger than those of other ethnic groups, most households are large nuclear families & some have even extended family members in the same household

Why are Asian families traditionally more likely to be extended than other groups?

Ballard argues that during Asian migration to Britain in the 50s/60s, the extended family provided suppot to family members so they stayed closer

What are marriage rates like among South Asian families?

South Asians have higher rates of marriage than other ethnic groups; around 75% of Pakistani & Bangladeshi women are married by 25 compared to 50% of white women

What are divorce rates like among South Asian communities?

Divorce rates are low in South Asian communities due to social approval & support network from extended families in times of relationship stress

What does Berthood argue about South Asian marriages?

For South Asians, it is not about whether they will marry but how they will choose their marriage partner

What does Parsons argue about the extended family?

In pre-industrial family the classial extended family was the primary type, and was replaced by the nuclear family due to industrialisation

What does Wilmott argue about the extended family?

The classical extended family may have disappeard but the extended family is dispersed; families live apart but stay close via the internet (modified extended family)

What is a vertically extended family?

Several generations of family under one group

What is the horizontally extended family?

Where the nuclear family lived with extended family members of the same generation

How does support from extended family members differ depending on social class?

In middle class families, support is financial & father to son whereas in working class familes support is domestic & mother to daughter