Families and Households

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  • Created by: Mariana
  • Created on: 04-10-12 19:36
Functionalists
Based on a value consensus (set of shared norms and values)
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Functionalism (criticisms)
1) The focus is on white middle class families in the west 2) Ignores conflict within families 3) Ignores the damage done to women 4) Ignores the rising divorce rates 5) Ignores the dysfunctions of family life
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Murdock (1949) 4 essential functions
1) Satisfication of the sex drive 2) Reproduction 3) Socialisation of young 4) Meeting economic needs
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Critisisms of Murdock
1) Could be preformed by other institutions (non-nuclear family structures) 2) Marxists and feminists say that functionalism neglects conflict and exploitation
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Parsons- 2 basic types of society
1) Modern industrial- nuclear family fits and is the dominant family type 2) Traditional pre- industrial- extended family
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Parsons (1955) 2 essential needs (industrial society)
1) A geographically mobile workforce 2) A socially mobile workforce
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Modern nuclear family 2 essential functions
1) Primary socialisation of children 2) Stabilisation of adult personalities
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Marxists
Based on an unequal conflict between 2 social classes
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2 social classes
1) Capitalist class- who own the means of production 2) Working class- whose labour the capitalists exploit for profit
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Family fulfilling for capitalism
1) Inheritance of property 2) Ideological functions 3) A unit of consumption
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Feminism
Argue that the family oppresses women. Do not regard gender inequality as natural but as something created by society
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4 main types of feminism
1) Liberal 2) Marxist 3) Radical 4) Difference
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Liberal Feminism
Are concerned with campaining against sex discrimination and for equal rights and opportunities for women
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Marxist Feminism
Argue that the main cause for womens oppression in the family is not men, but capitalism.
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Marxist feminism view: how women's oppression preforms several function for capitalism
1) Women reproduce the labour force 2) Women absorb anger 3) Women are a 'reserve army' of cheap labour
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Radical Feminism
They argue that all societies have been founded on patriarchy- ruled by men.
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Radical Feminism key division in society
1) Men are the enemy- they are the source of women's oppression and exploitation 2) The family and marriage are the key institutions- men benefit from this; women's unpaid work and sexual services, and dominate them through domestic/sexual violence
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Difference feminism
They argue that we cannot generalise about women's experiences.
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Criticisms (types of feminism)
1) They all assume that the traditional nuclear family is the dominant family type 2) They are all structural theories
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Domestic division of labour
Referes to the roles that men and women play in relation to housework, child care and paid work
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Instrumental role
Husband: 1) Achieving success 2) Provides for family financially
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Expressive role
Wife: 1) Primary socialisation of children 2) Meets family emotional needs 3) Homemaker and full time house wife
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Joint conjugal roles
Couples share tasks e.g. housework, childcare and leisure time
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Segregated conjugal roles
Couples have separate roles; males, females, and also leisure time
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Symmetrical family
Roles of husband and wife are not identical but are more similar e.g. women go to work, men help more with housework and childcare and leisure time is spent together more
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Causes of the symmetrical family
1) Changes in women's position 2) Geographical mobility 3) New technology 4) Higher standards of living
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Other cards in this set

Card 2

Front

Functionalism (criticisms)

Back

1) The focus is on white middle class families in the west 2) Ignores conflict within families 3) Ignores the damage done to women 4) Ignores the rising divorce rates 5) Ignores the dysfunctions of family life

Card 3

Front

Murdock (1949) 4 essential functions

Back

Preview of the front of card 3

Card 4

Front

Critisisms of Murdock

Back

Preview of the front of card 4

Card 5

Front

Parsons- 2 basic types of society

Back

Preview of the front of card 5
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