Postmodernism and Individualism Thesis

• Beck: Negotiated family


  A risk society where tradition is less valued and people have choice. People are more aware of risks. When people make a choice they look at the risk vs reward.
• Beck: Zombie family


  Appears alive but is dead. The family is meant to be secure. People have a desire to have a haven of security but cannot because of its own insatbility.
• Smart (2007): Connectedness Thesis


  We`re social beings whose choices are made within a web of connectedness. Our interwoven personal histories strongly influence our range of options and choices. No pure relationships can be left, mannerisms, phrases, etc stick. People with separated parents are linked by kids against their wishes people are put into context of their pasts.
• Critic

  Women have gained rights eg: pursue male careers, but are expected to be hetrosexual. Einadottir (2011) - Lesbianism is merely tolerated.
• Critic: May


  Critics Beck and Giddens as structures that traditionally control our lives and limit choices arent dissapearing, simply being reshaped.
• Critic: Smart and May


  They exaggerate family choices, desicions are stilll governed by social context (we`re not free disembled individuals), class and gender still shape relationships (just an idealised version of a white class man).

  A02: Family and friends hold great power on what we do. You have to find like minded people. Laws differ in other countried. Laws differ in other countries (eg: homosexuality in Saudi Arabia). People have to hope to meet certain people to give you a dream.
• Giddens: Pure Relationship


  Laws, religion and social norms no longer hold people together. Intimate relations are built on trust, choice and equality.

  Same sex couples are pioneers as they created more democratic and equal relationships.
• Stacey


  Greater freedom has benefited women as theyre free from the patriachal opression of family arrangements. The study was conducted in Sillicon Valley, finding women rejected traditional roles, returned to education, improved jobs and divorced and remarried. Their family suited their needs.
• Morgan

  Its pointless making generalisation like functionalists. The family is simply whatever arrangements a person needs.
• Cheal (1993)


  There is no modern society. Society is in a new, chaotic, post modern stage. There is no normal as there is different family types due to induviduals having more choice in their lifestyle, family arrangements and personal relationships.
• Critic: Murray


  Freedom means greater risk of instability and relationships are more likely to collapse as either party can end at any point.