Sociology-Modernism and the nuclear family
- Created by: Daisymac
- Created on: 15-03-19 14:54
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- Modernism and the nuclear family
- Functionalism
- Parsons argues that there is a functional fit between the nuclear family and modern society
- Nuclear family= Adequately suited to meeting the needs of modern society for geographically and socially mobile workforce
- Functions= Primary socialization and stabilization of adult personalities
- Other family types= dysfunctional/abnormal
- The new right
- Firmly opposed to family diversity
- Conservative and anti-feminist perspective on the family
- Best type of family is the traditional nuclear
- Sees this family as based on fundamental biological differences between men and women
- Argue that the decline f the traditional nuclear family and the growth of family diversity is the cause of many social problems
- See lone parent families as harmful to children
- Lone mothers cannot discipline their children properly
- Leave boys without an adult male role model-- Educational failure and delinquency
- Likely to be poorer and so are a burden on welfare state
- Cohabitation vs marriage
- Claim main cause of lone parent families is the collapse of relationships between cohabiting couples
- Benson 2006- Analysed data of 15000 babies and found that in first 3 years of child's life, the rate of family breakdown was much higher among cohabiting couples
- Benson argued that couples are more stable when they are married as it requires deliberate commitment to each other
- Argue that this evidence has shown the family and society at largue are broken
- Argue that only a return to traditional values can prevent social disintegration
- Regard laws like easy access to divorce and gay marriage as undermining the conventional family
- Criticisms of new right
- Oakley argues that the new right wrongly assume that husbands and wifes roles are fixed by biology
- Cross cultural studies shows that there is variation in these roles
- Argues that their view is a negative reaction against the feminist campaign for equality
- Feminists argue conventional nuclear family is favoured as it is based on the patriarchal oppression of women and prevents women from working
- Critics are there is no evidence children from lone parent families were more likely to become delinquent
- Rate of cohabitation is higher among poorer social groups and Smart 2011 points out it may be poverty that causes breakdown of relationships
- Oakley argues that the new right wrongly assume that husbands and wifes roles are fixed by biology
- Chester neo conventional family
- Chester 1985 recognises that there has been some increased family diversity, but does not see this in a negative light
- Argues that the only significant factor is the change from the conventional nuclear family to neo conventional
- Dual earner family in which both spouses go out to work
- Still argues that most people are not choosing to live in alternatives to the nuclear family and argues nuclear is the best type
- Argues that although many people are not part of a nuclear family at any one time, this is due toa life cycle as many people have been part of a nuclear family at one stage in their lives
- Chester identifies patterns
- Most people live in a household headed by a married couple
- Most adults have children
- Most marriages continue until death
- Cohabitation has increased but for most it is a temporary state
- Most births happen inside marriage
- Rapoports 5 types of family diversity
- 1982 argue that diversity is important in understanding family life today
- Believe we have moved away from the traditional nuclear family
- Families in Britain have adapted to a pluralistic society- One in which cultures and lifestyles are more diverse
- Family diversity reflects greater freedom and choice and the acceptance of different cultures
- Cultural diversity-- Different cultural, religious and ethnic groups have different family structures
- Life stage diversity-- Family structures differ according ti the life stage in the life cycle
- Organisational diversity-- Differences in the ways that family roles are organised
- Generational diversity-- Older and younger generations have different attitudes and experiences
- Social class diversity-- Differences in household structures result of income differences.
- Generational diversity-- Older and younger generations have different attitudes and experiences
- Organisational diversity-- Differences in the ways that family roles are organised
- Life stage diversity-- Family structures differ according ti the life stage in the life cycle
- Functionalism
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