Changing family patterns

• Explanations for increase in divorce

  Rising expectations of marriage

  Changes in law

  Women's financial independence

  Secularisation

  Decline in stigma
• How does decline in stigma increase divorce rate

  More socially accepted
• What is secularisation?


  the decline in the influence of religion in a society
• How do changes in law increase divorce rate?

  Equalising grounds for divorce between sexes

  Widening grounds

  Cheaper
• Fletcher


  Less likely to tolerate an unhappy marriage - ideology of romantic love
• Other solutions to unhappy marriages

  Legal separation

  Desertion

  'Empty shell' marriage
• What is 'empty shell' marriage


  Couple continues to live together
• What is legal separation of marriage?


  Legal affairs are separated eg money

  Remain married
• What is desertion


  One partner leaves but still remain legally married
• Feminist explanation for increase in divorce

  -Women have dual burden, this creates more conflict and more divorce
• What marriages have a greater risk of divorce?

  Marry young

  Have a child/cohabit before marriage

  Been married previously
• When was there a spike in divorce

  1969 divorce reform act
• Patterns in marriage


  Marrying later in life

  Fewer marriages

  More remarriages - rise in divorce
• Reasons for decrease in marriage

  Fear of divorce

  Decline in stigma to alternatives - cohabitation, remaining single

  Secularisation

  Women prioritising career
• How is cohabitation viewed by many?

  A trial marriage for temporary phase/permanent alternative to marriage
• patterns of cohabitation


  Cohabiting couples with children growing

  3.5 million cohabiting heterosexual couples - 120,000 same sex couples
• Reasons for the increase in cohabitation

  -decline in stigma towards sex outside of marriage

  -young are more likely to accept cohabitation

  -secularisation

  -working women - less need for financial security
• Why are one person households mainly men?

  Children are more likely to remain with mum after divorce
• Living apart together'


  Couples choosing to live separately while in a relationship due to choice / financial constraint
• Why are half of one person households over age of 65

  Widows
• 2004 Civil Partnership Act


  Same sex relationships has same legal rights as heterosexual couples

  Eg age of consent, adoption
• Weeks


  chosen families from fictive kin
• Beanpole family


  multiple generations but only a few members in each one

  Extended vertically, not horizontally
• Reason for beanpole families

  increased life expectancy

  Smaller family sizes
• Charles


  Three generations of families under one roof 'all but extinct'

  Expect in Bangladeshi community
• Willmott


  Dispersed extended family

  Geographically delayed but still maintain in frequent contact
• Bells


  Middle class - financial help from extended family

  Working class - domestic help

  Women more obliged to aid relatives than men
• White British


  High divorce and cohabitation

  Low marriage
• South Asian families


  More traditional

  High marriage

  Low divorce and cohabitation
• Black Caribbean


  High rates of inter marriage
• Why are lone parent families usually headed by women

  Usually given custody by divorce courts

  Nurturing role

  Men less willing to give up work
• Murray


  Perverse incentive

  Dependency culture
• What is depending culture

  Assumes state will support them
• What is perverse incentive

  Rewarding irresponsible behaviour
• Murray's solution to overgenerous welfare state

  Abolish benefits
• Why are lone parent families single by choice

  May not wish to cohabit/marry or limit fathers involvement
• Why are nearly half of children born outside of marriage

  Decline in stigma
• Patterns in childbearing


  Women having children later in life - prioritising career

  More women remaining childless

  Having fewer children
• How many families are step families

  10%
• Why are stepfamilies at greater risk of poverty


  Often have more children - from previous marriages

  Father may have to pay child maintenance