families- family diversity

functionalism

• parsons: there is a functional fir between the nuclear family and modern society

• due to family’s ability to lerso essential functions we can generalise about the type of family we will find in modern society- nuclear family with a division of labour between husband and wife

• other family types dysfunctional, abnormal or deviant

the new right

• oppose family diversity

• traditional patriarchal nuclear family only correct type with clear division of labour between breadwinner husband and homemaker wife

• family as natural and based on fundamental biological differences between men and women

• oppose cohabitation, gay marriage, lone parenthood

• decline of traditional nuclear family are cause of many social problems

• lone parent families are harmful to children as:

• lone mothers cannot discipline

• leave boys without male role model resulting in educational failure, delinquency and social instability

• burden on welfare state

cohabitation v marriage

• new right claim main cause of lone parent families is collapse of relationships between cohabiting couples

• benson: over first three years of babies life rate of family breakdown much higher among cohabiting couples

• only marriage can provide stable environment

• benson argues couples more stable when married as requires deliberate commitment to eachother

• only return to traditional values can prevent social disintegration and damage to children

• laws and policies such as welfare benefits undermine conventional family

• benson: job needs to encourage marriage through policies

criticisms of new right

• ann oakley: wrongly assumes husbands and wives roles are fixed biologically. cross cultural studies show variation in roles men and women perform in family

• feminists argue conventional family is based on patriarchal oppression of women and is fundamental cause of gender inequality. prevents women working and financially dependent on men

• rate of cohabitation higher among poorer social groups so smart suggests may be poverty that causes breakdown of relationships rather than decision not to marry

chester: neo conventional family

• doesn’t regard increase in family diversity as significant or negative

• move from conventional nuclear family to neo-conventional nuclear family

• dual earner family

• no other evidence of major change

• people do not choose to live in alternatives to nuclear family on a long term basis and nuclear family remains ideal

• people not part of nuclear family at any one time but this is part of life cycle

• statistics on household composition are misleading as merely a snapshot of a single moment in time

• most people spend major part of lives in nuclear family

• extent and importance of family diversity been exaggerated

the rapoports

• moved away from traditional nuclear family as dominant family type to a range of different types of

• families in britain adapted to pluralist society and family diversity reflects this

• family diversity is positive response to people’s different needs

• organisational diversity: differences in ways families organised e.g. some couples have dual wage earners and some have one wage earner

• cultural diversity: different cultural, religious and ethnic groups have different family structures e.g. extended families in asian households

• social class diversity: differences in family structures result of income differences between households of different social classes

• life stage diversity: family structures differ according to stage reached in life cycle e.g young newlyweds, couples with dependent children, retired empty nesters

• generational diversity: older and younger gw weston’s have different attitudes and experiences that reflect the historical periods in which they have lived e.g. different views about morality of divorce

postmodernism

• no longer live in modern society with predictable structures but society has entered chaotic postmodern stage

• no longer one single dominant family structure but families have become fragmented into many different types and individuals have more choice in their lifestyle

• gives greater freedom to plot own life course

• greater risk of instability

stacey: postmodern families

• greater freedom and choice benefited women - free from patriarchal oppression

• women been main agents of family change

• many rejected housewife role and worked, returned to education , divorced and re married

• created new types of families that better suited needs

• divorce extended family- members connected by divorce rather than marriage

• morgan: pointless trying to make large scale generalisations about the family as functionalists do

• a family is whatever arrangements this involves choose to call their family

the individualisation thesis

• giddens and beck: traditional social structures (class, gender and family) have lost influence

• people’s lives were defined by fixed roles that prevented them from choosing own life course

• individuals in todays society have fewer roles to follow

• we have become disembedded from traditional roles leaving us with more freedom to choose how we lead our lives

giddens: choice and equality

• family been transformed by greater choice and more equal relationship between men and women

• contraception allowed sex rather than reproduction to become reason for relationships

• women gained independence due to feminism and greater opportunities

• in past traditional family relationships were held together by external forces such as laws governing marriage and norms against divorce

• todays couples free to define relationship themselves

the pure relationship- giddens

• intimate relationships based on individual choice and equality

• pure relationship typical of todays late modern society

• exists solely to satisfy each partners needs so survives as long as both partners think it is in their own interest to do so

• stay together due to love rather than tradition

• with more choice personal relationships become less stable so produces greater family diversity - more love parent families

same sex couples as pioneers- giddens

• leading way towards new family types and creating more equal relationships

• not influenced by tradition

• develop relationships based on choice rather than traditional roles

• create family structures to serve own needs rather than conforming to pre existing norms

• weston: creates supportive ‘families of choice’

• weeks: friendship networks functioned as kinship networks

beck: the negotiated family

• live in a risk society where tradition has less influence and more choice

• more aware of risks as making choices involves calculating risk and rewards

• in past expected to marry for life and liberty in patriarchal family

• partial family undermined by two trends: greater gender equality and greater individualism

• led to negotiated family which do not conform to traditional family norm but vary according to wishes and expectations of members

• less stable and individuals free to leave if needs not met leading to greater family diversity

the personal life perspective

• smart and may agree there is more family diversity but disagree with giddens and becks explanation of it

• make criticisms of the individualisation thesis:

• exaggerates how much choice people have. budgeon notes this reflects the neoliberal ideology that individuals have complete freedom but traditional norms limit people’s relationship choices

• wrongly sees people as disembedded and ignores that our choices about personal relationships are made in a social context

• ignores importance of structural factors such as social class inequalities and patriarchal gender norms in shaping our relationships

• may: giddens and beck view is and idealised version of a white mc man and ignores not everyone has same abilities as this privileged group

the connectedness thesis

• smart calls alternative to individualisation thesis the connectedness thesis

• we are fundamentally social beings whose choices are made within a web of connectedness

• live within networks of existing relationships and interwoven personal histories and the influence our choices

• finch and mason: individuals are embedded within family connections and obligations that restrict their freedom of choice

• families include more than the couples giddens focuses on

• parents who separate remain linked by children

• class and gender:

• after divorce gender norms dictate that women should have custody of children which may limit opportunity to form new relationships

• men better paid than women which gives them greater freedom

• powerlessness of women and children compared to men means lack freedom to choose so remain trapped in abusive relationships

the power of structures

• beck and giddens argue there has been a weakening of structures such as gender and family that controlled choices

• may argues structures are not disappearing they are re shaped

• einasdottir: while lesbianism is tolerated heteronormativity means lesbians feel forced to remain in the closet.

• personal life perspective does not see increased diversity as a result of greater freedom of choice

• importance of social structures in shaping freedoms many people have to create diverse families