family theories: topic 3 Flashcards
key feminists
sue sharpe
rosalind delmar
ann oakley
kate millet
andrea dworkin
shuluasmith
juliette mitchell
what was the functionalist perspective on family?
-Important sub-system, basic building block of society.
-society based on value consensus family socialises us into this via primary socialisation.
What was Murdock’s 4 functions of the family?
- stable statifaction of the sex drive
-prevents social disruption by sexual ‘free-for-all’ - reproduction of the next generation. -without society couldn’t continue
- socializationof the young
- meeting its members economic needs. e.g. food, shelter.
Criticism of Murdock
-reject his ‘rose-tinted’ harmonious consensus view that family meets the needs of both wider society + different members of family.
- functionalism neglects conflict + exploitation
- feminists see the family as serving the needs of men + oppressing women.
- Marxist argue it meets its needs of capitalism not those of family members + society.
What is Parsons ‘functional fit theory’?
Family performs; welfare, military, political or religious functions.
Parsons- the functions it performs will depend on the kind of society in which it is found.
identified pre-instrual society fits needs of extended family
Industral fits nuclear.
Parsons:
what were the 2 needs identified in industrial society from the family?
- A geographically mobile workforce
- A socially mobile workforce
Parsons:
Loss of functions
pre-industrial family was multi-functional unit
e.g. family farm, unit of consumption, feeding, clothing each other = more self-sufficient
Industrial society- work moves to factories, family becomes unit of consumption only.
Marxist perspective on the family
-The functions of family are performed purely for the benefit of the capitalist system.
-contrasts with functionalism
Marxism:
what are the several functions family fulfil capitalism?
- Inheritance of property
e.g. private property - Ideological functions
= set of ideas or beliefs to justify inequality + maintain capitalist system persuades people to accept its fair, natural, unchangeable. - Unit of consumption
media target children who use ‘pester power’ to pursued parents to spend more.
criticism of the marxist perspective
-ignores wide variety of family structures in society today, assumes nuclear family dominant in capitalist society.
-Feminist argue, marxist emphasis on class + capitalism underestimates the importance of gender inequalities within family. feminist view these as more fundamental than class inequalities + family primarily serves the interest of men not capitalism.
-Functionalist argue marxist ignores very real benefits the family provides for its members.
Feminist perspective on the family
- critical view of family, oppresses women
- unequal division of domestic labour, domestic abuse against women
-Gender inequality not natural or inevitable but created by society.
Liberal feminsm perspective
-argue, women’s oppression gradually overcome through changing attitudes + changes in law e.g. sex discrimination act 1975.
-believed moving towards greater equality but full equality depends on further reforms
-hold similar view to march of progress, gradual progress but still not achieved.
Marxist feminist
-main cause of oppression not men but capitalism.
-women produce the labour force
-absorb mens anger directed at capitalism. Ansley ‘takers of shit’
-women are a reserve army of cheap labour
radical feminism
-men are the enemy: source of women oppression + exploitation
-the family + marriage are the key institutions in patriarchal society. men benefit from women unpaid work in domestic labour + sexual services.
Difference feminism
-cannot generalise women’s experience
