Feminist theories of the Nuclear Family

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  • Created by: jesskeayy
  • Created on: 23-04-17 15:51
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  • Feminist theories of the Nuclear Family
    • Nuclear family functions
      • Oppresses women
      • Provides free labour
      • Reproduction
      • Socialisation of the children to recognise gender roles
    • NUCLEAR FAMILY IS NOT UNDER THREAT
      • Not under threat, as long as we live in a capitalist, patriarchal society
      • Most people still live in nuclear family forms
      • Social policies support the nuclear family structure i.e. the length of maternity leave compared to paternity leave
    • Women face social pressures to conform e.g. to get married, have children and leave careers to support the family
    • Much stigma surrounding women that choose to remain childless or women that go back full time to work, whilst they're  a parent
    • Liberal Feminists
      • March of progress in equality of gender
      • Women have greater independence in decision making in the home
        • FLOUR& BOUCHANAN
        • HARDHILL ET ALL
      • Nuclear family relations are slowly improving e.g. the 'new man'
      • There are many laws that protect women's right, e.g. against domestic violence, equal pay leg and maternity leave
      • Government could STILL do more to combat patriarchy within the home
        • Men still make the important decisions in the home, due to 'ingrained gender roles'
        • PAHL
        • OAKLEY
        • EDGEL
    • Radical Feminists
      • Women are still oppressed in the household
        • DOBASH & DOBASH
      • No march of progress, as women still do more at home than men do
        • OAKLEY- TRIPLE SHIFT
          • DUAL BURDEN
        • Men still make decisions in the household, due to ingrained gender role socialisation
          • OAKLEY
          • PAHL
          • EDGEL
          • HARDHILL ET AL
      • Family diversity is exaggerated, as most families are still oppressive and male-dominated
    • Marxist Feminists
      • Capitalism is the porblem
        • Women are oppressed by capitalism, as their heavy domestic work load is unpaid
          • This leaves them with lower wages, less power in the home and less freedom
      • Nuclear families produce gender inequalities, through gender role socialisation of children
        • OAKLEY
      • There has been no march of progress, capitalism has increased, not reduced
    • Criticisms of the Feminists theories
      • Some women like domestic work
      • Feminists underestimate natural male/female relationships
        • Assume there is no biological trait to the family
      • Not all men are aggressive/ violent. 2/3 of domestic violence is committed by females
      • Underestimate the march of progress that has been made with women's rights
      • Fail to recognise that males may also be oppressed by gender role socialisation
      • Not a united theory

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