Post Modernist

• Post Morden sociologists:

  1. Stacey
  2. Giddens
  3. Beck
• What is Stacey's (1998) key concept(s)

  • divorce extended family
• What is a divorce extended family?


  • caused by the greater freedom of women + individualisation
  • mothers stay in touch with their spouse's family after divorce(e.g. ex-mother-in-law)
• Stacey's input into Post Modernism:

  • women started to reject the housewife role
  • women are the main agents of change
  • diverse family structures
• What are the two concepts Giddens introduced?

  • plastic sexuality
  • pure relationship / confluent love
• Plastic sexuality (Giddens)

  developments in contraception and individualisation have led to the main purpose of sex being intimacy instead of childbearing.
• Pure Relationship (Giddens)

  Relationships are based on love and respect. They only remain if both partners' needs are met.
• what concepts does Beck introduce to Post Modernism

  • Risk society (shifting from traditional structures requires negotiation)
  • Negotiated Family (communicating expectations and leaving when not met)
• disembedding (Giddens)

  • freed from traditional roles within the family
  • allowing members to make choices with agency.
• Individualisation (Giddens )

  decline in traditional values leads to individual choice - especially in family life.
• evaluation of post-modernism

  Chester: postmodernism exaggerates the extent of family diversity. (everyone experiences a nuclear family at some point of their life)
• Post Modernism addresses the social changes in society.
• PostModernism believes that the nuclear family is a zombie concept. (exists although it is no longer relevant + discredited)