Postmodernism

• The two main postmodernists who talk about the family are Stacey and Weeks.
• Stacey argues there is more diversity and choice. People are now free to choose whatever family and relationships work for them- pic'n'mix their family.
• Stacey closely linked to Lyotard's idea that there is no objective truth anymore due to rapid social change so there is no longer a 'right' answer to the best family type. there is only subjective truth so the best family type is whatever works for you.
• Stacey argues women in particular are taking advantage of increased choice and diversity to choose better relationships. she did research in California and found a new pic'n'mixed family type called the divorce extended family. when a man would divorce and then re-marry, the ex and new wife would operate as an extended family providing emotional and finanical support and help with childcare. this shows the increased diversity and choice in postmodernity.
• Weeks agrees that there is increased choice and diversity but there is also more chaos and uncertainty. he found that under 35's had a larger acceptance rate of others choosing whatever family type they wanted, but he found most people follow the traditional route as people are so uncertain about what choice to make, so follow the stable route which is typically the nuclear family. therefore even though attitudes have changed, there is still little family diversity.
• evaluation of postmodernist views on the family - Stacey and Weeks are criticising each other (Stacey - lot more family diversity, Weeks - not really family diversity)
• Chester argues that there is barely any difference in the family since the traditional nuclear family, the only difference is women now do paid work. people still usually live in a heterosexual monogamous family with biological children. he calls this the neo-conventional family, as it is the new form of traditional family type with only one small difference.
• The Rapoports argue there was widespread family diversity and it is now normal. the main causes of diversity include: cultural diversity, life-stage diversity, generational diversity and social class diversity.
• cultural diversity (Rapaports) - caused by globalisation and increased migration e.g. south Asian families are more likely to be extended
• life-stage diversity (Rapaports) - there are different family types in different stages of life (e.g. newly married, couple with children, widow)
• generational diversity (Rapaports) - depending on the time you were being brought up, you will have different cultures and beliefs (e.g. grandparents usually have more traditional values)
• social class diversity (Rapaports) - class differences can change a family (e.g. middle class career driven women often decide not to have children)
• Stacey is supported by the Rapoports and criticised by Weeks. Weeks is supported by Chester and criticised by Stacey