Family Diversity

• What is Family Diversity?

  The changing patterns in family structures has meant that there is a wide diversity of families and households types in the UK today
• Types of Family Diversity

  - Blended/ reconstituted

  - Empty nest

  - Extended

  - Same sex

  - Lone parent

  - Beanpole

  - Nuclear
• The New Right & Functionalists see the ______ is the most desirable type of family in society. Why?

  Nuclear family is the most desirable

  They believe that it is best suited to provide socialisation and stability
• What is life course diversity ?

  Allan & Crow


  Allan & Crow (2001)

  
  

  Since the 1960 peoples life courses have been changing significantly which has led to contemporary families and households having little resemblance to the "traditional" life course of:

  
  

  being raised by 2 parents, finishing education and leaving home, getting married and start a family
• What does Levin say about life course diversity ?

  The traditional life course was basically "compulsory" because of the strong social norms
• What does Functionalists & New Rights say about family diversity ?

  They see modern society as having a fixed & predictable structure

  
  

  New Right says the role of husbands and wives are "biologically fixed"- women are made to do certain jobs and vice versa
• What is the "Functional Fit" ?

  Parsons believes there is s functional fit between the nuclear family and society- Best functioning family types for society

  
  

  Other family types are considered to be dysfunctional, abnormal or even deviant as they are less able to perform these functions
• How do feminists criticise the New Right?

  Oakley says the New Right is wrong to assume that roles of husbands and wives are biologically fixed
• What is the Neo-Conventional Family?

  Chester (1985) Functionalist

  
  

  - Recognises family diversity but does not think it is v significant and does not see it in a negative light

  
  

  - Neo-conventional families are dual earner families
• What patterns does Chester identify?

  -Most people live in a married couple household

  -Most adults marry and have children

  -Most marriages continue until death

  -Cohabitation is higher, but for many this is just temporary

  -Although births outside of marriage are higher, most are jointly registered

  
  

  *For Chester this shows that family diversity had been exaggerated, and the nuclear family is still dominant
• What does Rapoport & Rapoport say about family diversity ?

  - Believe we have moved away from the traditional nuclear family

  
  

  - See diversity as a response to peoples different needs and wishes
• What are the 5 Types of Family Diversity the Rapoport's identified?

  
  

  *Hint: CLOGS


  1. Cultural

  2. Life Stage

  3. Organisational

  4. Generational

  5. Social Class
• What is Cultural Family Diversity?

  Different cultures, religions and ethnic groups have different family structures
• What is Life Stage diversity?

  Depending on where you are in your life your family type will be different
• What is Organisational diversity?

  Differences in ways family roles are organised
• What is Generational diversity?

  Older and younger generations have different attitudes and experiences that reflect the historical periods in which they have lived
• What is Social Class diversity?

  Differences in family structure are partly the result of income differences between households of different social classes.
• What do Postmodernists argue about family diversity ?

  Families have changed and there is no longer one single, dominant, stable family structure

  
  

  * Because of diversity, family structures have become fragmented into many different types

  
  

  * Individuals have a lot more choice in their personal relationships and family relationships/arrangements
• What does the Postmodernist Morgan argue about family diversity?

  Morgan (1996,2011)

  
  

  Its pointless to make generalisations about the family. A family is simply whatever arrangements those involved choose to call their family
• What does the Postmodernist Stacey argue about family diversity?

  Stacey (1998)

  
  

  Greater freedom and choice has benefitted women- they can shape the family to meet their needs

  
  

  - Interviewed women and found that it is women rather than men who are the main agents for change in the family
• What does the Postmodernist Giddens argue about family diversity & equality?

  Giddens (1992)

  
  

  Marriage and families have been transformed by greater choice and more equal relationships

  
  

  Occurred because:

  - Contraception has allowed sex and intimacy rather than reproduction to become the main reason for the relationship

  
  

  - Women gained greater independence with better education and career opportunities
• What does the Postmodernist Giddens argue about family diversity & confluent love ?

  Same sex marriages are not influenced by tradition but rather based on choice and not conforming to pre existing norms
• Link the Individualisation thesis and family diversity

  Because people are free to make their own decisions about their relationships and how they choose to live, family diversity is a result of people being free to make a variety of decisions
• What does the Postmodernist Weeks argue about family diversity ?

  Weeks (2002)

  
  

  Friendship networks often function as kinship networks for homosexuals
• What is a "risk society" ?

  Beck (1992)

  
  

  People are more aware of the risks of marriage and families because we have more choice and we can choose to avoid the risks and not have a family - ignore tradition
• What is the "Negotiated Family" ?

  Beck & Beck-Gernsheim

  
  

  - Does not conform to traditional family norms

  - Varies according to the wishes and expectations of their members

  - Relationships are entered on an equal basis

  - More equal but less stable as members are free to leave at anytime
• What is a "Zombie Family" ?

  Beck

  
  

  The family appears to be alive but its dead

  Cannot provide security and stability due to its own instability

  
  

  (In the uncertain society, people turn to the family in hope of finding some stability and security but he argues that relationships are subject to greater risk and uncertainty than ever before)
• Postmodernist society = Individualisation = Increased consumer choice = more freedom = can leave whenever they want (confluent love) = zombie family & instability


  Family Diversity and increased consumer choice and confluent love has created unstable families