Postmodernism Perspective

• What is the focus of postmodernist perspectives on the family?

  Changes in family structures and dynamics
• How do postmodernists view the concept of family?

  As fluid and changing
• What do postmodernists disagree with regarding family theories?

  Functionalism and Marxism's generalizations
• What are metanarratives in sociology?

  Broad ideas and generalisations about society
• What do postmodernists claim about family diversity?

  It is unique for everyone
• What alternative family types do postmodernists recognize?

  Single-parent, reconstituted, same-sex families
• How do postmodernists view increasing divorce rates?

  As a sign of changing family structures
• Who argues that divorce can alleviate problems?

  John Bernades
• What do postmodernists believe about marriage today?

  It is often for love, not functionality
• What lifestyle choice is increasingly common among individuals?

  Child-free lifestyles
• What are some reasons individuals choose not to have children?

  Rising costs, career focus, personal preference
• What medical advancements have impacted family structures?

  IVF, surrogacy, egg freezing
• Who identified the "divorce-extended family" concept?

  Judith Stacey
• What does the "divorce-extended family" refer to?

  Connections maintained through divorce
• What does Carol Smart suggest about studying relationships?

  Use 'personal life' instead of 'family'
• What does Tamara Harevan emphasize in her analysis?

  Individuals' life courses and choices
• What do critics argue about postmodern perspectives?

  They still rely on metanarratives
• What do late modernist sociologists claim about society?

  We still retain elements of modernism
• What is Robert Chester's view on family types?

  The nuclear family remains dominant
• What do functionalists argue about the nuclear family?

  It maintains social solidarity
• What are the key takeaways from the postmodernist perspective on family?

  • Family is fluid and changing
  • Increase in alternative family types
  • Changes in attitudes towards relationships
  • Rise of child-free lifestyles
  • Alternative ways to study families by theorists