Post modern family diversity theories

Stacey- post modern families

there is greater freedom and choice within todays society for women which has benefitted them allowing them to break away from the steretypical roles such as housewife and to escape from patriarchal oppression

a new structure is the extended family structure where due to actions creates a extended family. For example the divorce extended familes where there is family diverisity by inlaws etc. The members are connected by divorce rather than by marriage

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Individual thesis- Giddens and Beck

Explores the individual choices upon family relationships

Traditional social structures such as class and gender have lost their influence

in the past peoples lives were defined by fixed roles preventing freedom of life course disembedded from tradtional roles and have more freedom

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Giddens

contraception and women equality independence helps greater choice, couples are free to define their relationships by themselves

the pure relationship- intimate relationships based on equality and choices and no longer bound by traditional forms

same sex couples- not influnenced by tradition and are able to develop relationships based on choice rather then tradtional roles since they are absent

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Beck- the negotiated family

people have more choices but we are however more aware of the risks.

although the traditional nuclear family was oppressive it did provide a stable setting e.g murdochs functions of the family

The patriachal role had been undermined by 2 trends, these are increasing equality within women and expect it within marriage and at work

actions are influenced by self interest rather then obligations to others- this created a new type of family known as the negotiated family, didnt conform to the tradition but varied according to the wishes and expectations however, is less stable

The zombie family- alive but dead. turn for security but are at a greater risk, haven of security in a insecure world

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Personal Life Perspective and Criticisms

short and may agree with diversity within the family but not Beck and Giddens explanation of it

Criticisms

exaggerates too much choice
wrongly sees people as independent,it ignores the decisons about personal relationships within social context
ignores the functions of structural factors

Connectedness

Finch and Mason says that are decisions are embedded by restrictions eg family decisions, even couple relationships arent even pure

a greater risk of instability could mean a greater amount of relationships to be broken down. this is due to the greater choice and freedom available within society

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family diversity

Functionalists and New Right see the family as the very best becuase it meets societies needs the best, e.g value consesus and social solardarity

any other kind of famiy is not deemed suitable

New Right oppose the changes in the family and blame cohabitation and lone parent families

3 in 4 parents are headed by lone parents with 90% of these being matrifocal

New right blame cohabitation for the numbers of lone parents

benson= 15,000 babies, the rate of breakdown was 20% with cohabiting couples and 6% with married

this made the new right argue that we should all turn to the traditional way of things with the nuclear family with tradtional values and norms

Chester- neoconventional nuclear family- there isnt much difference between mot familes today and the traditioanl nuclear family apart from it it now more equal as both work and is more symetrical

those who arent married will plan to at some point - it is considered as a trial marriage

Post modern---Rapoports- belief that diversity is a good thing came up with 5 types-

organisational e.g joint or segregated conjugal roles

social- income

culture - religion or ethnicity

generational- different attitudes

life stages- ag retirement

the modern view is that we dont have much control about our relationships or behaviour as they are determined for us -STRUCTURAL VIEW

post modern= we no longer have a dominant family type and have more choice and freedom regardless of other factors such as glass, gender and age

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family diversity II