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Family diversity/changing roles - Coggle Diagram
Family diversity/changing roles
FAMILY DIVERSITY
Rapoports- argue Britain is no longer dominated by 1 family type- greater choice & variety now exists
CULTURAL DIVERSITY- 11% of Britains population is em's-Differences in the lifestyles of families of different ethnic origins and different religious beliefs
LIFE COURSE ANALYSIS-matching our needs
ORGINISATIONAL DIVERSITY- power structure of its members e.g lone parent,
GENERATIONAL DIVERSITY- historical experiences that shape family structure e.g contraceptive pill
SOCIAL CLASS DIVERSITY- wealth/income/finances
AO3 CHESTER suggests rapport have exaggerated- family life has remained largely unchained since 1950s
CAUSES OF FD
LAW CHANGES: divorce reform act, legalisation of contraception, civil partnership = more family types
SOCIAL ATTITIDES: lone parent, same sex, stay at home father families more accepted now.
ROLE OF WOMEN: growing equality has given women more freedom and independence from men- more symmetrical families/Joint roles( W&Y)
SECULARISATION: religion has become less central to uk society - people more likely to consider alternatives to marriage, reduced stigma to divorce & contraception
GLOBALISATION- rise of dispersed extended family
POST-MODERNIST: family structures are incredibly varied and individuals have much more freedom of choice in aspects of their lives which would have been relatively constrained in the past
NEW RIGHT: decline of the traditional family and the growth of family diversity are the cause of many social problems such as higher crime rates and declining moral standards generally
DIVORCE
legal dissolution of a marriage
increase in divorce since 1960s, until 1990s (due to fewer people getting married in the first place)
REASONS FOR INCREASE
LAW CHANGES- (DIVORCE REFORM ACT 1969)- enabled a 'no fault' divorce to be requested. This meant that an individual did not need grounds, such as adultery or abandonment, in order to get divorced.
-Couples could find different options to end marriage other than divorce (desertion, legal separation, empty shell marriage)
CHANGING ATTITUDES- divorce more socially acceptable so more people willing to do it
Julie and Jack (1997) note important changes since 1960’s has been rapid decline in stigma attached to divorce
SECULARISATION: decline in influence of religion - divorce more acceptable
Many churches have begun to soften their views on divorce because they fear losing credibility with large sections of the public and their own members
RIING EXPECTATIONS OF MARRIAGE-
-₋Fletcher (1966) – high expectations placed on marriage = more divorce when these expectations are not met
-₋ People now have more choice over their husband/wife and base it off love and sexual attraction, however in the past it was not like this, people were not given much choice. Therefore, these people were less likely to have high expectations of marriage as a romantic union of two individuals
WOMENS INCREASED FINANCIAL INDEPENDENCE:₋ Improvements in financial position of women = high divorce rates
₋ Women are more likely to be in paid work (women working rose from 53% in 1971 to 67% in 2013)
₋ Equal pay and anti-discrimination laws helped narrow pay gap
FEMINIST EXPLANATION:₋Married women today bear dual burden, this has created new source of conflict between husband and wife
POST MODERNIST EXPLANATION: PURE RELATIONSHIPS (GIDDENS) - people stay in relationships that fulfil them and when they don't, they move on
MARRIAGE
Fewer people marrying, more re-marrying
REASONS FOR DECREASE
CHANGING ATTITUDES TO MARRIAGE:₋ Less pressure to marry and more freedom for individuals to choose type of relationship they want
₋ Now widespread belief that quality of couple’s relation is more important than legal status
SECULARISATION:➔ Churches are in favour of marriage but as their influence declines people feel free to choose not to marry
DECLINE IN STIGMA ATTACHED TO ALTERNATIVE MARRIAGES:➔ Cohabitation and having children outside marriage is acceptable
CHANGES IN POSITION OF WOMEN:➔With better educational and career prospects women are less economically dependent, which gives them freedom not to marry. Feminists view marriage as oppressive.
FEAR OF DIVORCE:➔ With rising divorce rates some may be put off marrying because they see increased likelihood of marriage ending in divorce
COHABILITATION
Increasing (2.9 million cohabiting couples)
REASONS FOR INCEASE
Decline in stigma attached to sex outside marriage, in 1989 only 44% people agreed premarital sex is not wrong at all but 65% took this view by 2012
Young are more likely to accept cohabitation ( main age range = 25-34yo)
Increased career opportunities for women means less need for financial security
secularisation
Bejin (1985) argues cohabitation among young people represents an attempt to create equal relationships rather than patriarchal marriage.
CHILDBEARING
long term decline in the number of births since 1900
REASONS FOR DECLINE
CHANGE IN WOMENS POSITIONS- paid employment, changes in attitude towards family life
DECLINE IN INFANT MORTALITY RATE- if many infants die, parents have more children to replace them, thereby increasing the birth rate.
IMR began to fall due toimproved housing, better sanitation, better nutrition
CHILDREN ARE NOW ECONOMIC LIABILITIES-Until the late 19th century children were involved in work which meant they were economic assets as they would bring an extra income into the household. However in the 20th century laws against child labour have made this impossible making children an economic liability instead
CHILD CENTREDNESS- Increasing child centeredness means that childhood is socially constructed as a uniquely important phase of life. This has encouraged a shift from quantity to quality.
ECONOMIC FACTORS- cost of childcare ( £235,000 birth-18)
DOMESTIC DIVISON OF LABOUR
roles that men and women play in relation to housework, childcare & paid work
PARSONS 1955- INSTRUMENTAL & EXPRESSIVE ROLES
Husband = instrumental role, geared towards achieving success at work so that he can provide for the family financially. He is the breadwinner.
Wife = expressive role, geared towards primary socialisation of children and meeting family’s emotional needs
AO3 - WILMOTT & YOUNG 1962 argue men are taking a greater share of domestic work and wives are becoming wage earners.-
BOTT 1957 CONJUGAL ROLES -
separate conjugal roles= couples having separate roles (parsons roles)
Joint conjugal roles = couples sharing tasks such as housework, childcare & leisure time
AO3- Parsons would disagree with joint conjugal roles because it would cause issues in wider society as the roles wouldn’t be carried out efficiently due to biological differences- Women are naturally suited to the nurturing role and men to that of a provider
WILMOTT & YOUNG: THE SYMMETRICAL FAMILY-
take a march of progress view and see family life ad improving for all members, becoming more equal
Symmetrical family is similar roles of husbands and wives. For example, women now go out to work, men help with housework and childcare and couples spend leisure time together
7/10 women of working age now have jobs
RISE DUE TO:
➔ Changes in women’s position / economically active mothers: women going out to work more so men need to help out around the house
➔ decline in extended family: fewer members around to help so roles need to be equal to get things done
➔ New technology such as washing machines/dishwashers mean some of the jobs that used to be done no longer need to be
➔ Weakening gender identities: rise of gender neutrality means less pressure to conform to traditional roles
➔commercialisation of domestic labour : as family has become dual earnings there has been growth in domestic labour industry so families pay for certain tasks to be completed eg nannies, maids
AO3:
FEMINIST VIEW : OAKLEY found W&Y's claims to be exaggerated- although young and willmott found in the interviews that most husbands helped their wives once a week, this could be as simple as taking the kids on a walk. This is hardly convincing evidence of symmetry.
Boulton 1983 supports Oakley and found that fewer than 20% of husbands had role in childcare
-Boulton 1983 supports Oakley and found that fewer than 20% of husbands had role in childcare
ackee & Bell (1986) found unemployed men resist pleas from partners to do more housework
CONSEQUENCES OF INEQUALITY
domestic violence: incidents of physical, psychological or sexual ause by a current/precious partner
THEORIES OF THE CAUSES:
RADICAL FEMINISTS:
Dobash & Dobash: DV is caused by challenges to male authority
crisis of masculinity where men are unsurebof their place in society & strike out.
AO3 Elliot - not all men are violent, men can be victims too
NEW RIGHT:
murray :DV only occurs in dysfunctional families- teen parents, cohabitation & divorce over a stable marriage.
higher rates of DV in L/C due to low moral standards
AO3- DV not limited to w/c
POST-MODERNIST:
Giddens DV caused by emotional intensity within family life.
AO3- not all family is abusive
MARXIST FEMINIST:
Wilkinson & Pickett : DV is result of stress on members caused by social inequality
Ansley- women = takers of shit, men are frustrated with oppression so take it out on their wives.
AO3 DV not limited to L/C, doesn't explain male victims