Family Diversity

• What does the term 'family diversity' refer to?


  Variety of family structures in society
• How has globalization affected family structures?


  Dispersed extended family, immigration has led to new family types.
• What are material factors in family diversity?


  Greater affluence, greater geographical and social mobility.
• How does social mobility affect family diversity?


  It leads to greater geographical diversity
• What is the significance of family law changes?


  Increased family diversity
• What does the term 'organizational diversity' mean?


  How family is structured among its members e.g. who has the most power
• Changes of social attitudes-


  Society has moved forward and family diversity is seen as more acceptable
• Changes in roles of women-

  Rise in feminism and equality has lead to more freedom and therefore symmetrical families
• Seclurisation-


  Decrease in power of church has lessened its impact of the family
• Life Course Analysis-


  Hareven- Family structures and organisation change as we go through our lives matching the time we are at and our needs at the time
• Generational Diversity-


  Shared historical experiences that shapes family structure
• Social class diversity-


  Wealth and income have an obvious impact in terms of type of housing, financial problems etc.
• Post modernism-


  Diversity is increasing as a result of growing choice and globalisation. Society has become more individualised and relationships are now based on confluent love.
• New Right (Murray)-


  Diversity is the cause of family breakdown. Only correct family is the patriarchal nuclear family with a clear cut division of labour.
• Functional fit theory (Parsons)-


  Family structure is constantly changing and adapting to meet the needs of society at the present time
• Feminism- Stacey-


  Growing diversity is a positive move for women as they can break away from traditional roles
• Chester- Neo-Conventional family-


  Statistics are misleading regarding the extent of family diversity. The neo-conventional family is becoming more common (nuclear family but with more equality and symmetry in division of labour)