FAMILY DIVERSITY

Created by

Carys Evans

Cards (47)

What do modernists believe about society?
it is fixed, clear and has a predictable structure
(functionalists, new rght)
What do Modernists believe about family diversity?
undermines the importance of family as a whole
Patricia Morgan - Views on Marriage
need to have heterosexual marriage to have a stable society, married people make better partners, workers and citizens
What does Charles Murray believe about single parents?
create a dependency culture, lack a male figure so children are emotionally disturbed and lack discipline.
Caused by adults who put their own selfish needs in-front of their kids
Marriage Tax Allowance
Social Policy - Married people under certain criteria pay less tax (around £200 less a year)
One partner needs to be working and the other needs to either be on low income or not working at all
What does the marriage tax allowance promote?
the traditional nuclear family and gender roles
Divorce rates are increasing but…
latest statistics estimate that 60% of marriages in England and Wales don’t end in divorce
There are increasing number of one-person households but…
many people in one person households are elderly widows or young people yet to be married
many couples are cohabiting but…
more than 60% of people see cohabitation as the first step towards marriage
Divorce rates are increasing but…
The majority of people who have divorced (close to 80%) go on to marry again
around 50% of babies are born to unmarried parents but…
in 2015, 84% of babies were registered by parents who were married, in a civil partnership or cohabiting
single parent households are increasing but…
around half of single-parents were married when they had their children
Chester
argues there has been a significant increase in family diversity, but most people will be in a nuclear family for a large part of their life.
Nuclear family is still the family most aspire to
What does Chester argue is the most important change in family diversity?
move away from the “conventional family” and towards the “neo-conventional family” (symmetrical family)
What are the 5 types of family diversity according to the Rapports?
Organisational Diversity
Cultural Diversity
Social Class Diversity
Life-stage Diversity
Generational Diversity
What did the Rapoports argue?
society has moved away from the nuclear family as the main family type
what do the Rapports say the main cause is for family diversity?
the life-cycle and social change, not a decline in morality
What is organisational diversity?
way a family might organise itself in terms of roles performed
What is cultural family diversity?
families differ in terms of beliefs and values.
eg between ethnic groups, some place a greater emphasis on family
What is social class family diversity?
availability of resources, quality of housing, leisure opportunities even that all impact the nature of family life
what is life-stage family diversity?
family structures differ according to the stage reached in the life cycle
what is generational family diversity?
older and younger generations have different attitudes that reflect the period of time they have lived through
Evidence for Generational diversity
36% of 18-29 year olds say that its important that a couple marries if they plan to spend their life together, compared with 65% of 65+
weaknesses of the Marxist, functionalists and feminists beliefs about the family
assume nuclear family is dominant
’top down theories‘ say we are massive puppets manipulated by society to perform certain functions
what do the personal life perspective focus on?
Bottom up approach - focus on meanings individual family members hold and how it affects society.
meaningful relationships beyond traditional family ties based on blood or marriage
Nordqvist and Smart
donor conceived children
questioned what counted as family when your child shares a genetic link with a stranger and not your partner
How has globalisation increased family diversity?
people are geographically mobile And separated from the rest of their family
how has the increasing importance of mass media increased family diversity?
people are more exposed to certain ideas and it becomes more normalised
how has a “world in fragments“ increased family diversity?
families become more temporary
how has a consumer society increased family diversity?
we live in a “pick and mix“ society, you can choose who you have a relationship with and if you want children
What three changed have enabled women to free themselves from the traditional nuclear family?
Stacey argues:
economic changes
technological changes
social changes
what are the economic changed that have enabled women to “free“ themselves?
men controlled the money and worked, now women can control their own money have have their own jobs
what are the technological changes that have enabled women to “free“ themselves?
changes in household technology, don’t need someone to physically do the washing etc, it has made the jobs easier.
Flexible working
Social media
what are the social changes that have enabled women to “free“ themselves?
more normalised to be in other families than a nuclear family
What is a divorced extended family?
members are connected by divorce, usually a female and former In-laws or a mans ex-wife and his new partner
what does David Morgan say about the generalisation of the family?
it is impossible to generalise the family, it is simply whatever those involve choose to call their family.
What society does Beck argue we now live in?
A risk society
what is a risk society?
where tradition has less influence and people have more choice.
They are more aware of the risks as we calculate the risks and rewards for each choice we make
what leads to a negotiated family?
greater gender equality and greater individualism
what is a negotiated family?
does not conform to the traditional family norm, it varies according to wishes and expectations of members.
they enter the relationship on an equal basis but it is less stable and they are free to leave if needs aren’t met