Family Diversity

• PARSONS (FUNCTIONALISM)


  Parsons states that family diversity has increased, and there as been a shift away from the traditional nuclear family. Nowadays, it is more common for reconstituted, lone-parent and cohabiting families to exist. However, functionalists and the new right reject this in arguing the nuclear family is the only family type functional for society.
• THE NEW RIGHT


  The New Right believe that the nuclear family as the only ‘natural’ family type. Other family types produce social problems (Eg. lone parent families lead to a dependency culture). Generous welfare benefits have encouraged such deviant family types.
• The Rapoports


  The Rapoports believe we have moved away from the nuclear family into a range of different family types. Unlike New Right, Rapports see diversity as a positive response to people's needs and wishes. Their 5 types of family diversity include: organisational diversity, cultural diversity, social class diversity, life-stage diversity, generational diversity.
• CHESTER


  Chester states that although there has been some increase in diversity, the nuclear family still remains dominant. There has been an important change from the conventional family (segregated conjugal roles) to the neo-conventional family, which adopts a symmetrical family structure.
• Postmodernism


  Giddens believes that Society has become ‘disembedded’ from traditional family structures, leaving us free to choose how we live our lives. This has led to the ‘pure relationship’ - one that exists solely to satisfy each partner's needs.

  ​Beck states that Equality and individualism have created the ‘negotiated family’ which varied according to the members wants.
• PERSONAL LIFE PERSPECTIVE


  Smart believes that we are not disembedded individuals, but we make decisions about relationships within a ‘web of connectedness’.