Families and Households - Theories of the Family

Murdock (1949)

Family performs 4 essential functions to meet needs of society

• Stable satisfaction of the sex drive with the same partner, stops social disruption
  
• Reproduction of th next generation without which society could not continue
• Socialisation of the young into societie's norms and values
• Meeting its members exonomic needs such as food and shelter 

Criticisms of Murdock

• Accepts other institutions can perform these functions
• Argues that the nuclear family explains why it's universal
• Some argue they can be performed equally well by other institutions
• Marxists and Feminists reject "rose-tinted" view

Parson

'Functional Fit' theory

- can perform welfare, military, political, religious functions

- functions depend on the kind of society the family is in

- distinguishes 2 kinds of family structure

• the nuclear family - parents and dependent children
• the extended family - three generations living under one roof

The particular functions and structures of a family will 'fit' the needs of the society it is in

Parsons

Believes two basic types of society - modern industrial society & traditional pre-industrial society. Nuclear family fits MDS - dominant family type. Extendeed family fits TPS 

Essentional needs for a MDS

Geographically Mobile Workforce

Able to move to different parts of country/world, where jobs are, easily

Easier for the two generation nuclear family - better fitted to the need that MDS has for a GMW

Socially Mobile Workforce

Talented people get promotion - even those from low backgrounds.

Nuclear family better - in extended family, son achieve higher status that father - create tension in the home

Loss of Functions

Pre-industrial family - multi-functional unit

Parsons - society industrialises, family changes to nuclear & loses functions

Modern Nuclear Family has 2 essential functions:

• The primary socialisation of children - equip with basic skills and society's values
• The stabilisation of adult personalities - the family is place where adults can relax

Sees unequal conflict between 2 social classes 

• Bourgeoisie - the capitalist class, owns mean of production
  
• Proletariat - the working class, workers who are exploited by capitalists

Education, Media, Religion, State and Family - maintain class equality and capitalism

Functions of family - benefit for the capitalist system 

Inheritance of Property

Key factor determine shape all social institutions - mode of production (who owns and controls society's productive forces)

PRIVTE PROPERTY

Increased wealth - development of private property

Engels - rise of monogamy, inheritance of private property.

- men had to be certain of paternity of children - send property to legitimate heirs

- rise of minogamous family nuclear family - "world historical defeat of female sex"

- brought woman sexuality under male control - "a mere instrument for the production of children"

- overthrow of capitalism - frees women from patriarchal control.

- Classless society - means of production owned collectively 

Ideological Functions - set of ideas that justify inequality & maintain capitalism

Family performs key ideological functions for capitalism

- Socialising children to think hierarchy and inequality are inevitable

- Parental power shows that there is always someone in charge

- "prepares them for working life to accept orders by capitalist employers"

Zaretsky (1976)

Family offers "haven" from harsh world of capitalism. Workers can be themselves

Largely an illusion - family cannot meet member's needs - e.g. based on domestic servitude of women

A Unit of Consumption

Capitalism exploits the labours of the workers

Making a larger profit by selling the products they made, than what they pay them

Family genersates profits for capitalists:

• advertisers urge family to consume latest products
• media targets children - "pester power" to persuade parents to spend
• children who lack the latest "must have" product are stigmatised by peers

Criticism of Marxism

• Assumes nuclear famiy is dominant in capitalist society - ignores wide variety of family structures
• Feminsts argue emphasis on class, undermines importance of gender inequalities. More fundamental than class equalities - family serves interest of men, not capitalism
• Functionalists argue that they ignore the benefits the family has for its members

Liberal Feminism

Campaigns against sex discrimination and for equal rights

• Argues that women's position is getting better - changing attitudes and laws (Sex Discrimination Act, 1975)
• Believes we're moving towards greater equality - full equality depends on further reforms, changes in attitudes and socialisation patterns of both sexes

Do not believe full gender equality in family - recognises gradual progress

Men are doing more domestic labour. Parents socialise sons & daughter more equally. 

CRITICISMS - fails to challenge underlying causes of oppression

Liberal Feminism

Campaigns against sex discrimination and for equal rights

• Argues that women's position is getting better - changing attitudes and laws (Sex Discrimination Act, 1975)
• Believes we're moving towards greater equality - full equality depends on further reforms, changes in attitudes and socialisation patterns of both sexes

Do not believe full gender equality in family - recognises gradual progress

Men are doing more domestic labour. Parents socialise sons & daughter more equally. 

CRITICISMS - fails to challenge underlying causes of oppression

Marxist Feminism

Main cause of women's oppression is capitalism

• women reproduce the labour force - unpaid domestic labour, socialising next generation of workers
• women absorb anger- soak up husband's frustration of the alienation and exploitation felt of capitalism (explains domestic violence to women)
• women are reserve army of cheap labour - take on work when extra workers needed. Let go when no longer needed, return to unpaid domestic work.

Oppression of women - exploitation of working class

Family must be abolished at the same time as capitalism is removed

Radical Feminism

All societies founded on patriarchy. Key division in society is between men & women:

• men are the enemy - source of women's oppression and exploitation
  
• family and marriage are key institutions - patriachal society. men benefit from women's unpaid work & sexual services.  dominates women through domestic and sexual violence

Patriarchal society needs to be overturned. Family - root of women oppression.

Seperatism - live independently from men; only way to acheive this

Many argue for "political lesbianism" - hetero relations are oppressive ("sleeping with the enemy"

Radical Feminsim 2

Somerville (Liberal, 2000) - radical fails to recognise women's position has improved; better access to divorce, control over fertility, choose to marry or cohabit.

- heterosexual attraction makes seperatism difficult to work

- recognises that women have yet to achieve full equality

- need for "family friendly" policies; e.g. more flexible working to promote greater equality between partners

Difference Feminism

We cannot generalise women's experience.

Lesbian and heterosexual, black and white, middle class and working class women all have different experiences.

E.G. white feminists often neglect black women's experience of racial oppression

Other feminists - argue difference feminism neglects all women share many of the same experiences. e.g. all face the risk of domestic violence and low pay

New perspective - influenced by interactionist ideas. Look at the point of view of the individuals concerned.

Donor-conceived children

Nordqvist and Smart - issue of blood and genes raised a range of feelings

- some parents emphasise importance of social relationship over genetic ones

However - difficult feelings can flare up for a non-genetic parent if someone remarked that their child looks like them. 

Differences in appearance - wonder about donor's identity

Lesbian couples - additional problems; concerns about equality between genetic and non-genetic mothers. Donor might be treated as the real second parent(if found)

Beyond Ties of Blood and Marriage

A wider view of relationships than just the traditional family relationships based on blood or marriage

• relationships with friends - like a sister or brother to individual
• fictive kin - close friends treated like family. e.g. calling mum's best friend 'auntie'
• gay and lesbian 'chosen families' - supportive network of friends and ex-partners 
• relationships with dead relatives - live in memories and continue to shape their identities
• even relationships with pets - seeing pets as part of the family