theories of the family✅

Functionalist perspective

Society is a system of interdependent institutions working together for stability and value consensus, family is the key social institution that performs vital functions for society and individuals

Murdock’s 4 essential functions of the family

1. Stable satisfaction of the sex drive

2. Socialisation of the young into shared norms and values

3. Meeting members’ economic needs

4. Reproduction of the next generation

Parsons functional fit theory

• Family structure changes to fit society’s needs

• Pre-industrial = extended family

• Industrial = nuclear family

• When society industrialises it looses its functions, as a result the modern nuclear family specialise in performing two irreducible functions

Parsons 2 irreducible functions of the family

1. Primary socialisation of the children

2. Stabilisation of adult families

Parsons warm bath theory

Adults relax, release tensions at home around the family enabling them to return to the workplace refreshed and ready to meet its economic demand

Marxist perspective of the family

Family serves capitalism and the ruling class by maintaining class inequality and reproducing capitalist ideology. They focus on the economic base which shapes family’s structure and functions

Functions of the family according to Marxists

1. Inheritance of private property

2. Unit of consumption

3. Ideological function (socialisation into acceptance of inequality)

Inheritance of private property - Engels

• As the forces of productions developed, along came private property

• The monogamous nuclear family developed to ensure legitimate heirs to mens private property

• Inheritance of wealth maintained class inequality

Unit of consumption

• Families buy goods and services produced by capitalists which maintains profits

• Media targets children who have “pester power” to persuade parents to spend more

• Children who lack to latest must have products are mocked and stigmatised

Ideological function - Zaretsky

• Family offers an apparent “haven” from the exploitative capitalist world

• An illusion of a prive, caring sphere which distracts men from the alienation at work

• However family cannot meet its members’ needs, it is based on the domestic servitude of women

Ideological function

• Justifies inequality and persuades people it is fair, natural or inevitable

• Family socialises children into capitalist ideology (conformity, obedience, acceptance of hierarchy)

• Parental power prepares children for employer authority

Liberal feminist perspective

• Gradual gender role change due to laws/policy

• Somervile: women’s positions have improved, choice in relationships, access to education/work

• Need more progress for equality in family and division of labour

• Solution is reform through social policy and changing attitudes

Radical feminist perspective

• Patriarchy is the root of women’s oppressions

• Family and marriage are patriarchal institutions

• Men benefit from women’s unpaid, domestic and sexual labour

• Greer: advocates for all female or matrilocal households

• Root for political lesbianism/separatism, heterosexual relationships involve ‘sleeping with the enemy’

Marxist feminist perspective

1. Women reproduce labour power

2. Women absorb mens anger (Ansley: Women are the “takers of shit”)

3. Women are a reserve army of cheap labour

Difference feminism perspective

• Other feminists generalise women’s experiences, not all women share the same oppression

• Experiences differ by class, ethnicity, sexuality

• Black feminists see the family as support against racism, not oppressive

Personal life perspective

Developed as a reaction to structural theories, focus on meanings individuals give to relationships rather than imposed social functions

What do Personal life perspective criticise structural approaches for

• Ignores individual experiences and meanings

• Assumes nuclear family is dominant

• Over-generalises, functionalists = all harmonious, marxists/feminists = all exploitative

Smart’s evidence of peoples personal meanings of family

People consider….

• Fictive kin

• Pets

• Dead relatives

• Donor-conceived children

…as family

Nordquist and Smart’s study of donor conceived families

• Highlights importance of social relationships rather than biological connections

• Defines parenthood through emotional bonds and caring roles, not genetics

Evaluation of functionalists

• Ignores exploitation of W/C, family maintains capitalism

• Feminists argue family supports patriarchy, oppressing women

• Outdated, ignores diversity of family and assumes a consensus

Evaluation of Marists

• Too negative and ignores benefits, family meets real needs

• Focuses on class not gender, patriarchy is also crucial

• Outdated and ignores family diversity

Evaluation of feminists

• Ignores class inequality

• Radical feminists underestimate change and mens role in DoL

• Somerville: Heterosexual attraction makes separatism unlikely

• Difference feminists risks fragmentations and lacks common strategy

Evaluation of personal life

• Can ignore wider structural factors (class, gender, ethnicity)

• Lacks general explanation for inequality or social patterns