families and households: family diversity

• what are the different family types?

  blended family

  cohabiting family

  adopting family

  monogamous family

  step families

  nuclear families

  lone parent family

  same sex family

  extended family

  matrifocal family

  divorce extended family
• what is family diversity?

  idea there is a range of different family types rather than single dominant one.
• what is there process from a modern to a post mod society?

  modern society --> globalisation --> post mod society
• what is the family type best suited to the modern society>

  nuclear family (new right)
• what is globalisation?

  increase in communication and technology means we've entered a new stage of society which brings sound issues like migration
• what is the post mod society in relation to family diversity?

  increased cultural + family diversity means that more people expressing identities in different ways + generating ways newer family types
• what do modernists believe about society?

  society as clear cut, predictable structure and possible gain true + scientific knowledge of how society functions. this knowledge can ve achieved to ensure progress to better society
• what do functionalists believe about society?

  funcs modernists perspectives in that they see modern society as having fairly fixed. clear cut + predictable structure. see best family type as NF as helps to maintain structure of society by carrying out certain functions.
• what do parsons argue about society?

  parsons argues there is functional fit between NF and modern society. meets needs of modern society through providing geographically + socially mobile workforce. The NF provides 2 irreducible functions.
• what two irreducible functions does Parsons say the NF does for society?

  primary socialisation of children

  stabilisation of adult personalities

  
  

  they view the NF w/ its division of labour between husband + wife as essential in performing these functions. all other family types seen as abnormal + deviant
• what are the new right views of the family?

  - one correct family - the N

  
  

  - NF as natural, based on biological differences, roles which are essential for societies stability.

  
  

  - family diversity = social issues - higher crime rates + ed failure

  
  

  - LPM's can't discipline child properly, burden on welfare state + leave males w/out adult male role model, result in higher delinquency rates

  
  

  - women should make caring for family their priority
• what does the new right argue about divorce, cohabitation and family breakdown?

  - regard cohab + divorce as creating family instability by making easier avoid commitment + responsibility, -ve effects on children

  
  

  - family breakdown increase risk rot children - face greater risk of poverty, ed failure, crime + health problems as well as increased chance of family breakdown when adult themselves

  
  

  - family + therefore society broken - return too trad values inc marriage to prevent damage to children

  
  

  - opposed to high tax spent on welfare - encourage dependency culture - perverse incentive - undermine trad family by discouraging men from working to support
• evaluation of the new right view on education? general

  NR theorised exaggerate decline in NF. gender roles - oppressive to women. most single parents not welfare dependent but only find it difficult to find jobs that are flexible so can balance work + childcare.
• radical feminist views on family

  argue SPF has +ve effects on women as allow women to leave abusive or unfulfilling relatiobships
• what are Chester's views on the family?

  family changes minor and basic features of family unchanged for British since 2nd world war:

  
  

  - most still marry + have children

  - most children reared by parents

  - most live in household headed by married couple

  - most marriages continue till death - divorce increase but most remarry-

  - cohab increased but most couples still marry - temp phase

  - births outside marriage increased, most jointly registered indicates parents still committed to bringing up child as couple
• what does Chester argue about the snapshot of household types?

  Doesn't provide valid picture of society. life cycles make it inevitable that at any time some ppl wotjn be menber of NF. many who live in other household types have experienced NF or will in future.
• what does Chester argue about those who live alone?

  8% of ppl living alone are mostly elderly widowed or tounger. ppl likely to marry.
• what does Chester argue about the parent-children household>?

  'one which is normal and is still experienced by the vast majority
• what changes are taking place in family life accord to Chester?


  many families no longer conventional in sense husband is breadwinner. accepts women increasingly making contribution to household finances by taking paid employment outside the home. The Neo conventional family ids a dual earner family.v
• what are the rapoports believes on family diversity?

  diversity important to understand family life today, moved from trad NF as dominant family type to range of types. families ib Britain adapted to pluralistic society

  
  

  diversity +ve response to ppl's needs + wishes + needs + not deviation from norm of NF
• what is a pluralistic society?

  cultures + lifestyles more diverse.
• what does family diversity reflect according to the rapoports?

  reflects greater freedom of choice and widespread acceptance of different cultures and ways of life ion otfdsys society
• what are there five types of diversify identified by rapoports?

  organisational

  cultural

  social class

  life stage

  generational
• what is organisational diversity?


  variations in family structure, household type, pattenrs of kinship networks + differences in labour division in home. many differences in way families organised; LPF's, dual worker females and reconstituted families.
• what is cultural diversity?

  diff in lifestyle of diff families of ethnic origin/religious belief e.g. asian, West Indian + Cypriot origin. higher proportion of female headed families in afro-carriabean households. black carribean + African people higher proportion of LPH's. Bangladeshi, Pakistani + Indian households larger than other ethnic groups.
• what is social class diversity?

  differences in family structure as a result of income differences between households of different social classes. class inferences in child rearing practices
• what is life stage diversity?

  differences resulting from stage in life cycle of family. Newly married couples w/out children may have diff family life to those w/ dependent children + those whose children achieved adult status.
• what is generational diversity?

  Older and younger generations have different attitudes and experiences that reflect the historical periods in which they have live e.g. may have different views about morality pf divorce or cohab .
• what are post mod views of the family?

  argue modernists approach ignores two facts:

  
  

  as individual actors we make choices about family and relationships. mods assume actions shaped by needs of soc

  
  

  have much greater choice about personal relationships + that has increased family diversity
• what does cheal argue about family diversity?

  argue no longer liven modern world with its predictable orderly structures e.g. NF. Society entered postmodern age, family structures fragmented + individuals more choice in lifestyles, personal relationships + family arrangements. families more diverse + no one type of family that is dominant.
• what does heaven argue about family diversity?

  life course analysis to understand family life + how family members make choices. flexibility + variation in peoples family lives - in choices they make and timing _+ sequence of events + turning points In their lives
• what is the focus of life course analysis? cheal

  meanings people give to life events + choices
• what does heaven favour?

  unstructured + in depth interviews w/ family members as best way to uncover meanings + understand choices about family life + relationships of individuals.
• what are the strengths of life course analysis?

  1) Focuses on what the family members themselves think is important

  
  

  2) Useful for studying families in todays postmod society where more choice of personal relationships + fam diversity. Family structures increasingly result of choices of members
• what does stacey argue about the divorce extended family?

  greater choice empowered women + enabled them to free themselves form patriarchal oppression - women anklet shape family arrangements to their needs
• what was Staceys study?

  found using life history interviews in California women main agents of charge in family. women interviewed rejected housewife. Worked + retuned to ed to improve job prospects. divorced + re married - women created family suiting their needs.
• what were one of these new types of family?

  the divorce extended family - members connected by divorce not marriage
• what does weeks argue about there acceptance of diversity?

  long term shift in attitudes since 50's:

  
  

  sexual morality became largely matter of personal choice

  state + church lost power due to influence morality

  growing acceptance of FD

  attitudes more favourable towards cohab and homosexuality
• what does weeks conclude about acceptance of diversity?

  sexual + family diversity is undeniable + widely accepted fact. Although NR continue oppose diversity - Weeks sees NR as fighting losing battle against diversity.
• what is the individualisation thesis?

  argues trad structures such as class, gender_ family lost influence over us. past - ppl lives defined by fixed rules that largely preventer them from choosing own life course. individuals in today's society have fewer fixed roles to follow.