f+h - emily froud

• According to functionalists, what is the family's essential role in society?

  A vital organ maintaining the body
• Which analogy is popular among functionalists when explaining how society works?

  Organic analogy
• What are Murdoch's four functions of the family?

  • Sexual: Providing a stable sexual relationship for adults
  • Reproduction: Producing new members of society
  • Socialization: Teaching children norms and values
  • Economic: Providing for family members
• According to Parsons, what is a vital family function?

  Socialization
• According to Parsons, what other important function did families have?

  Stabilization of adult personalities
• What does the stabilization of adult personalities refer to?

  Emotional support allowing them to cope
• According to Marxists, who does the family benefit and disadvantage?

  Benefits the bourgeoisie, disadvantages the proletariat
• According to Engels, what function of the family maintains the ruling class's wealth?

  Inheritance of wealth
• According to Zaretsky, what does the family provide to the oppressed?

  A cushioning effect
• How does the family's role as a unit of consumption benefit the bourgeoisie?

  They buy what capitalist industry develops
• According to Marxists, what is passed on to children through socialization?

  Dominant ideology
• What is the result of passing on dominant ideology to children?

  Allows for exploitation to continue
• How do feminists view the family's impact on women?

  It reinforces gender inequality
• According to liberal feminists, what reinforces culture and norms?

  Family
• According to liberal feminists, why is the family sexist?

  It follows mainstream culture
• According to liberal feminists, how can social change occur?

  Pressure on legal systems and governments
• According to Marxist feminists, why is the exploitation of women central to capitalism?

  They produce the next generation of workers
• What do radical feminists focus on, rather than capitalism?

  Patriarchal society
• According to Delphy and Leonard, what kind of institution is the family?

  Patriarchal institution
• According to Delphy and Leonard, how are women and men treated in the family?

  Women do the work, men benefit
• According to Marxist feminists, how do women help capitalism at almost no cost?

  Raise and look after future workers
• According to Giddens and Swyngedouw, what do people have more of now?

  Choice in relationships
• What type of relationships exist in postmodern society?

  Pure relationships
• What is the defining characteristic of pure relationships?

  Last as long as they are happy
• What has the rise of pure relationships led to?

  Cohabitation and serial monogamy
• According to Stacey, what freedom do women have now?

  Shape family arrangements
• What has Stacey's idea led to?

  More single mothers, lone parent families
• What family type has emerged due to divorce?

  Divorce extended family
• Who developed the sociology of personal life?

  Smart
• What does the sociology of personal life argue about the family?

  It's more diverse and complex
• What is the importance of relationships that aren't classed as family?

  They are still very important
• How do functionalists see family policies?

  As being good, helping families function
• How does the New Right view family policies?

  Not great, undermine self-reliance
• What do Marxist policies provide?

  Ideological legitimation of capitalism
• What did liberal feminist policies lead to?

  Greater gender equality
• What do radical feminists think about just introducing policies?

  More needs to be done
• Which government was influenced by the New Right?

  1979-1990 Conservative government
• What did the Conservative government aim to reduce?

  Control over lives
• What did the Conservative government want to enforce?

  Right-wing responsibility
• What act did the Conservative government allow for?

  1984 Divorce Act