Key sociologists - Families and Households

Murdock (Functionalist theory of the family)

Nuclear family is universal.4 functions functions that are beneficial and necessary for the smooth running of society. Reproduction, Sexual, Economic and Educational.

Parsons

2 irreducible functions: Stabilisation of adult personalities (warm bath theory)

Primary socialization of children

Murray

Nuclear familiy= Cornestone of stable society

Chester (Functionalist against family diversity)

Argues that the nuclear family is still dominant but the Neo-conventional family has evolved. He acknowledges that diversity is on the increase, but he points out that most individuals will experience a Neo-conventional nuclear family at some point in their life course.

Marx

Women are commodities, owned by men so are properties

Zaretsky (Marxist View of The Family)

The nuclear family mainly benefits capitalism and the ruling class by providing unpaid labour- unit of consumption. It helps workers manage their resentment of the capitalist workplace.

Engels: Marxist view of the family

Fam ensures the rightful male inherits assets

Althusser - Marxists views of the family

Family- ideological state apparatus, transmitting capitalistic values.

Oakley (Liberal Feminist)

Little evidence of symetric roles in the 70s. Dual burden.

Delphy + Leonard (Radical Feminist view of exploitation)

Women are exploited within the family because they do all the housework. Men assume the head of the house.

Ansley (Marxist Feminist domestic violence)

Capitalism has stripped male workers of dignity, power and control at work. They feel powerless and results in domestic violence as they are frustrated. TOS. Men attempt to assert power in the home to make up for their lack of power and control in the workplace.

Murray (New Right view of divorce)

An increase in divorce has led to a rise in fatherless families

Fletcher (Functionalist view of social policy)

Social policies function to assist parents to successfully rear their children. Policies like health care, housing and education- help families to perform function better.

Donzelot: policing the family

-He takes of Foucault's view on surveillance

-Professionals surveil the family, social workers, doctors and health visitors do

-Poor families are watched more because they are seen as problems, they want to improve them

Leonard (Feminist)

Social policies appear to support women, e.g. maternity leave, but in reality reinforce the patriarchal family and act as a form of social control - they encourage women to see childcare as their job.

Murray (New Right view of social policy)

The state should play a minimal role in people's lives. Creates an underclass with no intention of working.

Beck

Individualisation thesis: Modern societies empower people to redefine their family structure and personal lives away from traditional way.

Giddens and The Rapoports (for family diversity)

Pure relationships for emotional satisfaction. Globalisation resulted in family diversity being the norm. Because of a decline in traditional pressures and an increase in divorce, family diversity is the norm.

Fletcher (functionalist view of divorce)

Divorce is good because it suggests that people have higher expectations of marriage

Sharpe (Liberal Feminist view of education)

In the 80s, girls wanted to get married first then have a career. This changed in the 90s when they pursued higher aspirations and wanted to have good qualifications before marriage.

Smart

Personal life perspective; Parenthood made via individual choice

Dunne (Same sex relationships)

Lesbian households are the most likely to be truly symmetrical. This is due to the lack of traditional assumptions, they are free to decide for themselves which tasks they complete.

Smart: Connectedness thesis

Reflecting criticisms of the individualisation thesis. Family choices are shaped obligations

Reynolds

Black Caribbean families are matrifocal with strong extended kin network

Duncombe and Marsden (Feminists view that marriage is exploitive)

Women do most of the unpaid housework and childcare and their paid work. 'Triple Shift'.

Parsons (Opinion on domestic labour)

instrumental and expressive roles.

Elizabeth Bott (Domestic labour)

Working class : segregated conjugal roles, women did most housework. Men were the main breadwinners.

Middle class : Joint conjugal roles. More likely to have shared household, childcare and leisure time.

Young and Willmott - the symmetrical family

-march of progress

-more equal roles,

Reasons=

-changes in women's position (going out to work)

-new technology (helps with housework)

Pahl and Vogler - money management

Pooling or resources. Men still make important decision on where the money is spent.

Edgell (decision making)

isn't symetrical. Men make important decisions by themselves and women do less important eg; home decor

Wagg (Childhood)

No single universal childhood as its constructed differently in different societies- social construct.

Pilcher (Development of childhood)

Golden age of innocence. This has been achieved through a variety of social policies that protect children from adult experiences.

Aries (medieval childhood)

Childhood didn't exist as a separate stage= mini adults.

However, the art used as evidence relies on individual perception so lacks validity.

Gittins

Age patriarchy of adult domination which keeps children controlled and oppressed. Being challenged as children gain more access to adult spaces and info.

Aries (Childhood)

Childhood in western societies was "Child centred" because of laws, schooling and changed attitudes.

Postman (Erosion of childhood)

Media exposes children adult info. This encourages kids to grow up too fast. The distinction between adulthood and childhood is disappearing - 'social blurring'.

Palmer (Toxic childhood)

modern technology and junk food to appease kids- deprived of traditional upbringing because their parents are not spending enough quality time with them Affecting child's development- PIE

Jenks (postmodern childhood)

In an increasingly unstable world (divorce, insecure employment), adults view their relationships with children as their last source of stability and identity.

Willmott

Dispersed extended family - members don't live together but have frequent contact

Duncan and Phillips theory

Living apart together due to career demands

Berthoud (Asian families)

More traditional. Marriage is highly valued and therefore cohabitation and divorce are rare.

Hirsch (ageing population)

Creates challenges for pensions, health care, housing because of smaller working population supporting them.

Cohen (migration)

Citizen: Full citizenship rights. Since the 70s, Uk Staete made it harder for immigrants to aquire full citizenship.

Denizen: Priviledged, foreign nationals welcomed by the state eg: billionairs

Helot: Slaves, most exploited. State and employers say they're "disposable units of power"