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Families and Households, Types of families and Household, Divorce,…
Families and Households
Feminism
Liberal
Wollstonecraft
In a metaphorical birdcage and women need freeing. Social policies are helping with that however.
Need change to happen through legal standpoints like policies.
Sex discrimination act. Equality act. Divorce reform act. Equal pay act. Abortion act. Contraception.
Marxist
Anne Oakley,
Women loose their identity when they get married and domestic labour is unpaid
Breugal
Women are a
reserved army of labour
as they are easy to hire and easy to fire due to the amount of jobs that women want.
Benston
Work places get
two workers for the price of one
, the woman destress their husband for free. Bourgeoisie don't have to pay for it
Ansley
Women are
safety valves (takers of shit)
in a relationship.
Radical
Men are the enemy, they directly benefit from the exploitation of women
Firestone
Childbearing is a burden
so new technology is better for women. IVF, sperm donors etc.
Delphy and Leonard
Women
provide 57 varieties of unpaid services
. Domestic labour, emotional labour etc.
Rich
There is a
compulsory sexuality
which is being heterosexual.
Lesbianism
is the only way.
Difference/ Black
We cannot generalise about women's experiences because of social class, ethnicity and sexuality
Amos and Palmer
Black women have different experiences. Family may be a great source of comfort and support
Functionalism
Bell and Vogel
Families are/can be dysfunctional but it is seen positively. Within the nuclear family, the parents can put pressure on the children and then be used as an emotional scapegoat to help themselves. This is positive as it keeps it within the family.
Parsons
Traditional family roles. Expressive (female) and Instrumental (male). Warm Bath theory- husband sinks into warm bath that the family provide to relieve stress. There has been a loss of functions due to industrialisation. Primary socialisation and the stabilisation of adult personalities. Extended families, harder to move geographically so nuclear is better.
Murdock
Family has to consist of two adults of different genders with children as that is the best outcome for the children. Very traditional view on family life. Family performs four main basic functions which are universal: , economic (providing food and shelter, unit of consumptions + production), sexual and reproduction.
Durkheim
Family create social solidarity
Marxism
Engles
Lived in a classless society (primitive communism). Issue of inheritance that was needed to be resolved due to industrialisation. Design of the family is to control the women (sexuality). Women are seen as instruments for the production of children, making them
glorified prostitutes.
Althusser
Family passes on ruling class ideas and benefits as normal (
ISA
). Parental control teaches children that somebody is always in charge which prepares them for the work place. Children then become docile and obedient
Zaretsky
Family is a
haven
but cannot compensate for the oppression suffered. Acts as a safety valve for the stress and strains of workers. Aids capitalism as the bourgeoisie don't have to pay for someone to destress the husband. Unit of consumption (buys into capitalism). Media targets children who then use
pester power
Demography
Ageing population
It's rising of the average age. There are fewer younger people which can't cope with the older generations.
Reasons
Higher life expectancy, decline imr and death rates and reduced birth rates, women love longer generally.
Hunt,
Societies age stages have been broken down as our age is no longer defined us as we can choose our identity
Marketisation policies for anti-ageing products
Media images now portray positive images so we re-write our identities
Rates
Birth Rates
Number of live births per 1000 of the population per year.
Total fertility rate is the average number of children a woman will have in her fertile years.
Infant Mortality rate is the number of infants who die before their 1st birthday per 1000 born alive per year.
There has been a fall in birth rates
This is positive and negative because it means that there are smaller families and the public services aren't as strained however the dependency is then not in ratio with the ageing population
This is because of new forms of contraception, women's priorities changing, social policies, education, abortions, fall in imr, opportunity and the change in the roles for women
Death Rates
Tranter
There is a fall in the number of infections and diseases like measles and TB due to advanced in medicine
The number of deaths per 1000 of the population per year
Fall in death rates
Medicine advancements, NHS, working conditions bettered, vaccinations, diet, decline in smoking, state benefits, people are generally living longer and living standards raised
McKeown
due to the improvement of nutrition, it has reduced the number of deaths and an and increased resistance to infection with higher survival chances
Postmodernism
Social policy
Functionalism
Social policy helps perform families functions as they believe the policies are in the interests of the family.
Fletcher
argues that the introduction of the welfare state and policies (NHS, COMPULSORY EDUCATION, HOUSING POLICIES) as these help families take care of themselves
Donzelot
sees policy as a firm of state control over families through people like
social workers, doctors and teachers
as they use their knowledge to control and change families.
Marxism
Social policy doesn't help society equally but that policies support capitalism.
Low level of state pension
confirms that once workers are too old to produce profiles they are maintained at the lowest possible cost. These policies distract the w/c from the
exploitation
that they actually experience.
Althusser
argues that these policies are part of the ISA which maintains
false class consciousness
by suggesting that capitalism has a friendly face (MINIMUM WAGE). These have only have been won through struggle.
Feminism
Social policy often assumes that the ideal family is patriarchal. The
universal child benefit
is paid to the woman suggesting that she is to look after the child. Within courts, they assume women should have
custody
as they're the natural carers. Policies that enforce women still leas to the patriarchal family.
Maternity leave
is more generous. Women
don't work full time
due to childcare even though there are policies in place it doesn't cover it all. Government policies often assume the family will look after the elderly.
New Right
Conservative Party way of thinking. Promotes
very traditional institutions
like the nuclear family. Family diversity creates welfare dependency therefore creating a
dependency culture
which then causes a rise of the underclass.
Charles Murray
hates single- parent families as government benefits offer
perverse incentives
which rewards bad behaviour.
Child Support Agency
is the idea that the absent parents take financial responsibility which means it's almost keeping the family together, they are only called when needed.
Single parent families are placed at a disadvantage as they are at
poorer health, lower educational attainment and delinquent behaviour
. With
fatherless families
boys grow up without a role model and then don't learn to be an effective father in the future. Do like anti-divorce reform act as it doesn't create diversity
New Labour
Pro nuclear traditional family but are more accepting of family diversity. They want to bring children out of poverty so by
raising minimum wage
and
increase benefits
it completes this. They changed the law on adoption so some same-sex couples get the same rights. For some same sex couples, they got the
civil partnership act
so they had the same rights as married coupled.
Postmodernism
Policies create more freedom and choice in society today.
Stacy
women can create families which break free from patriarchal control (divorce extended families)
Different Households
Marriage
The trend within marriage is generally the fact that fewer people are getting married or getting married at a later age. Other trends that can be found is serial monogamy, getting remarried later and due to the decline in religion, less couples are getting married in churches.
Many reasons cause this
The attitudes to marriage of changed, secularisation, Society is more accepting 2 cohabitation, people are simply staying single, with opportunity and
There is however an increase in
remarriage
as well as the age to get married and many churches don't allow divorcees to get married. Marriage is seen as an ideal that many aspire to. As it decreases other family types and merge
Cohabitation
Unmarried couple that live together. Cohabitation numbers have increased massively.
Declining
stigma, younger couples find it easier and better, career opportunities for women, and secularisation foremost it's the step before marriage
Chester
Same sex relationships
Stonewall
that 5-7% of the adult pop-up today are in a same-sex relationship. Age of consent for relationships is universal now
2004 civil partnership act
meant that same-sex couples got pensions, inheritance and Property the same way as heterosexual couples.
Weeks
chosen families
One person
Increase in the number of people living alone.
40%
of one-person households are over 65. An increase in separation and divorce has created more especially among men. More people are remaining single
LATS
A survey suggests about
1in10
adults are living apart together. Reflects a trend towards less formalised relationships and instead families of choice. Some couples can't afford to live together and some use it to keep their own home.
20%
so LATs as their ideal relationship
Child bearing
Significant changes in childbearing as women aren't always choosing motherhood.
4/10
children are now born outside marriage and women have children at later ages. Some are having fewer and others none at all. The
decline in stigma
is one reason to make this possible as well as the increase of cohabitation. Women now have more options in life as seeking a career is more appealing.
Decline in infant mortality rate
means that women aren't having more children .
Lone parent
22%
of all families with children are lone parent with
90%
of these being headed by the mothers. Due to the increase in divorce and separation, lone parent families have risen. They tend to be
matriarchal
because women are by naturally suited to the expressive role, normally
given custody
due to this.
Step-families
Women's previous relationships are normally when children (step) come in. Stepfamilies have a
greater risk of poverty
as there are often more children. From previous marriages as well as
fathers paying for childcare
.
Black families
Black Caribbean
and
Black African
people are of a higher proportion for lone parent households.
2012 over ½
of these families when lone parent they are also female lead mostly this can be linked back to slavery and high unemployment rates for males. Some might say that due to black women place in such high value on their independence they lead more
Asian Families
Bangladeshi, Pakistani and Indian
households tend to be larger, containing three generations and are mostly nuclear. British Asians are the result of the younger profile of large households as there is a higher percentage of childbearing groups
Conjugal roles
Symmetrical family
March of progress
Young and Willmott,
Families are becoming more equal and fair and thing have improved for women. ( going to work, men helping with housework and childcare, couples sharing leisure time together).
In their study London families are more symmetrical amongst younger couples. Reasons for this
change in women's position. geographical mobility, labour saving, higher standards of living
Not fully symmetrical
We are half- way through a revolution, reasons
: gender pay gap is predicted to close, 1 in 5 women earn more than their partner, higher pay means women aren't economically dependent, welfare state benefits for children, rise in divorce, same sex couples and parental leave shared over 50 weeks
Roles
Segregated roles, couples have separate roles
Joint Conjugal roles, couples share tasks as housework and childcare.
Traditional viewpoint with instrumental and expressive roles. The division of labour is based on biological differences
Cultural/ ideological
Determined by patriarchal norms and values that shape gender roles
Kan
Young men do more.
Dunne
Study 37 lesbian couples and they were more symmetrical
Material/ economic
Women earn less so easier to do more house work
Ramos
Full time women with an unemployed partner do the same amount of work
Money
Allowance System
Man give their wives an allowances.
Pooling
both have access to income. Very important decisions= men. Important= men and women. Less important= Women.
Childhood
It is the distinctive stage before becoming an adult of happiness and innocence which id normally defined by biological development. Childhood is a social construct
Historical
Aries
talks about children in the past being mini adults. In a medieval society there was a
high IMR
which reduced emotional attachment and increased neglect. As they had larger families, the parental relationship diffed and with little to no education until 1800's children stared work at age 6.
Postman
believes that the conception of adulthood charged radically in the 15th C with the development of the
printing press
. The
information hierarchy
is the outcome of it
Global
Ennew
says that childhood is a social construct as in Jamaica, children are workers and so part of the unit of production. Estimated 38,000 youths between 5 and 17 are involved in child labour.
Benedict
states that in non-industrial societies children have more responsibility and so there is a loose valve on obedience to adult authority. The adults took attitude of tolerance and amused interest towards children's sexual explorations and activities.
Social Class
It has more effect on children then good parenting. Parent's social class has a greater impact on how well their children perform at school than 'good parenting' techniques (reading bedtime stories)
Howard
talks about children from poverty/ poor families are more likely to die in infancy/ suffer from long term illness which means that they might fall behind in school due to their diet. More of these children are then placed on
child protective services
.
Gender
Girls are naturally expected to do more housework. Early socialisation plays a huge part in this as females are exposed to female toys and role models.
Hillman
found that boys are allowed more freedom than girls and are expected to be independent for example going out alone at night.
Ethnicity
Brannen
found that Asian parents are more likely to be strict towards their daughters more than their sons.
Disappearing
There is a found association between
media violence and the increased aggression of children
. Males are at a higher risk and there has been a decrease in empathy.
Postman
says that children's exposure to TV, the internet and social media (adult material) has created a breakdown of the sharp boundary between adulthood and childhood (
information hierarchy breakdown)
Jenks
Childhood isn't disappearing but only changing
. The technological changes have led to parents thinking children need to be
more protected
than ever, following this, parents are
paranoid
which increases laws and safeguarding policies. All of this results in
greater surveillance and regulation of children's lives
Palmer
Toxic childhood
is damaging to their development. Due to the decline in outdoor play, increase in computer games and iPads, the commercialisation of childhood with the intense marketing targeting children, the intense testing in education which
increases anxiety
and a
decline in communication
skills with short attention spans
March of Progress
Aries says that there has been a huge improvement in experiences for children like lower imr, protection by laws and education. The family and society has become child centres as parents invest a great deal emotionally and financially.
Reduced working hours, welfare state, laws and social policy (CHILD SUPPORT, SOCIAL SERVICE, FREE SCHOOL MEALS), falling imr, paediatric help, decreased family size, technology, places to go and shops.
Introduction of the Children's commissioner.
Smart talks about new sociology of childhood which means that we need to talk to children directly for their view points. Children are too controlled.
Improving
This is the inequality between adults and children as adults are in charge of everything.
Adults control time, space, bodies, access to resources = Bed time, location, clothes, mobile phones.
Firestone suggests that the extreme care and protection are just new forms of oppression.
Personal Life Perspective
Social action approach in which society doesn't control us. Bottom up approach. Power of free will to control own lives. Opposite to
FUNCTIONALISTS
Clarke
Looks at marriage being important and what you put into the marriage. Micro approach to the family.
Marriage is something we do rather than we have
. Arranged marriage supports this idea.
Nordquist and Smart
Donor conceived families
are created through egg, sperm or embryo donations. Discovered that they place emphasis on the importance of social relationships over genetic ones. Family based on meaning rather than genes.
Leach
Critical view. Doesn't like nuclear families because they isolate themselves which places emotion demand on the unit which leads to conflict. Family looks inwards which leads to the intensification of emotional stress. Parents fight, children rebel. Compares family to an
overloaded electric unit
. Privacy is the source of fear and violence
Laing
Mental health conditions-
Schizophrenia
- he argues can only be understood in the context of family relationships. Family groups form alliances within them which cause psychological consequences. the unit is then in a constant demand for attention. Interactions can be harmful and destructive. The parents fight= child in a dream land
Types of families and Household
Nuclear, two generation of man, woman and children
Extended Family, nuclear + grandparents + aunts and uncles
Kinship, blood or relatives through marriage. Can be through adoption and fostering
Household, people sharing a house
Reconstituted family, step family in which one or both parents have children from a previous marriage
Patriarchal, male head
Matriarchal, female head
Modifies, keep in touch by phone etc.
Lone parent, one parent
Arranged marriage, arranged not by the couple
Same Sex, same sex couple with children
Civil Partnership, same sex couples have the same rights as married straight couples
Polygamy, have more than one husband/ wife
Cohabitation, couple living together but aren't married
Symmetrical, authority and tasks are shared between the couple
Single- person household, person living on their own
Living apart together, serious couple that don't live with eachother
Monogamy, married to one person at one time
Neo-conventional, dual earner family
Serial monogamy, having a number of monogamous relationships
Empty shell marriage, people living under the same roof but are separate
Beanpole, grandparents + Children
Divorce
Who divorces
The earlier you marry the more likely you are to get divorced.
The lower the class of the husband are more likely
Kiernan and Meller
Unemployment, reliance on state benefit and low income are all associated with high divorce rates.
Remarriages are more likely to end in divorce
Often is there has been an experiences of parents divorcing
Major cause of changing family patterns and due to couples getting divorced its not uncommon. From 1961 the amount of divorces have gotten six times bigger.
Changes in the law over time meant that divorce has become easier.
For example
the grounds have been equalised,
divorce reform act 1969,
especially when it comes to genders. You no longer have to have a guilty party but instead you just have to prove
irretrievable breakdown.
Decline in stigma and a change in attitudes means that more people don't feel judged about leaving a marriage/ be pressured in staying in one.
Cockett
and
Tipp
suggest that it is becoming more normalised
Secularisation
means that there is less religious opinion as it's on a decline
Rising expectations
is what singletons have when finding the person they wish to marry.
Fletcher
argues that people place higher expectations on marriage which also causes the rise of the divorce rates.
As women have more opportunities in life, they don't have to solely depend on their partner giving them more freedom.
Equal pay act + Equality act
Duncombe and Marsden
argue that marriage is too patriarchal. Triple shift.
Beck and Giddens
argue that marriage forever has lost their hold so
individual thesis
has been brought more forefront.
Confluent love
is important to get.
Domestic Violence
Police
Yearnshire
on average women suffer 35 assaults before reporting. It is the least likely recored crime
Cheal
police may be unwilling to record as the family is a
private sphere
, only good things in a family. See individuals as
free
so can leave whenever
Evidence of Patriarchy
Millet and Firestone
men oppress and exploit women .
Wilkinson
, emphasis on economic factors like lack of resources. Lack of money restricts people social circles which causes isolation
Family is not a secure, happy and peaceful place but for some the most violent group to which women and children are likely to belong.
It's all male authority over women as socialisation ensures that women are restricted and only purpose is to serve men.
Dobash and Dobash
109
interviews from w/c and m/c backgrounds stemming from 16-60. Normally interviewed within a few days of arrival at women refuge centres. Built
rapport
and considerable trust with the use of
open ended questions
to gain
verstehn
.
Examples
slapped, pushed, beaten or raped.
Because their partner saw their authority being challenged.
Greater risk
Children, lower social class, rented accommodation, lower incomes, higher levels of alcohol/ drug use, disabilities.
Any incident or pattern of incidents of controlling coercive/ threatening behaviour, violence or abuse between those aged 16 or over who are intimate or have been intimate partners or family member regardless of gender/ sexuality.
Includes mental, physical, sexual, financial, emotional violence and abuse.
Many tried to understand in terms of their own behaviour.
88%
had left but came back due to
financial
situations and problems with their
self esteem
as well as for their
children
Migration
Immigration- movement into people
Emigration- movement out of area
Net migration- difference between those immigrating and emigrating expressed as an increase/ decrease.
Natural change- difference between births and deaths in the population
Push factors
War, poverty, poor quality of life, government jobs.
Pull factors
Jobs, health care, laws, benefits
Criticisms
Feminist
Anne Oakley
promotes a constricting ideology for women. There is an overemphasis on the dominance of nuclear families missing all the other types.
Bell and Vogel
Mental Health issues are created for the children. Functionalists over play the harmonious nature of the family. 50,732 children on child protective services. 42% divorce rate.
Murdock
is criticised by
D H Morgan
as he points out that Murdock analysis suffers from the failure to consider where the family is really necessary or can other institutions do some functions
Parents are teaching the kids it fails to see how the kids react to their parents
Criticism
Ignore certain relationships in the family.
Laing
not representative
Ignore the importance of class and ethnicity
Not exact cause of schizophrenia so no direct link
Criticism
Ignores family diversity
Underestimates the importance of gender and ethnicity inequalities
Functionalists argue marxists ignore the benefit that the family provides. Parsons with primary socialisation and the warm bath theory
Criticism
Young and Willmott
Their view on the family being symmetrical. Only 15% of husbands had a high level of participation in housework. 25% in childcare
Gershuny
Women who work full time have more of a equal divison
Duncombe and Marsden
Triple shift
Criticism
Improving
This would be through the inequality of gender, ethnicity and social class.
Parental controls can be out into place so children have access to only what their parents want them to have