Family Diversity in the terms of: Ethnicity, Social class and Sexuality

Question 1

What do some sociologists argue about family diversity

Answer 1

That we have to acknowledge that the UK is no longer dominated by one family type. They argue that we should be celebrating ‘family diversity’ - there now exists a greater choice and variety than ever before in terms of family lifestyles

Question 2

What does cultural diversity refer to

Answer 2

The distinct differences in the lifestyles of families of different ethnic origins and religious belief.
It is often the result of global migration

Question 3

How have sociologists taken interest in Asian families

Answer 3

How the Asian families differ from White families in terms of structure, family roles and functions, obligations and duties.

Question 4

What did Rodger Ballard (1982, 1990) carry out research on and what did he find

Answer 4

Carried out research into South Asian migrants who settled in the UK from the 1950s.
He found that they brought many of their traditions with them which include:
- Living in large-multigenerational households
- Having traditional gender roles
- Having a strong sense of family honour
- Arranged marriages

Question 5

What did Richard Berthoud (2001) research show

Answer 5

That although the majority of Asian families in the UK are nuclear in structure, about a third have adapted existing housing in order to live in three-generation vertical extended families

Question 6

What did Berthoud find about Sikhs

Answer 6

They have adapted housing to accommodate their horizontal version of the extended family in which brothers and wives and their children share housing

Question 7

What did Berthoud find about marriage

Answer 7

Marriage is highly valued and that arranged marriages are still relatively popular

Question 8

What did Berthoud find about cohabitation

Answer 8

Is rare in Asian communities while divorce is regarded with shame

Question 9

What did Berthoud (1997) find about African-Caribbean families

Answer 9

• Only 39% of British born African-Caribbean adults under 60 are formally married
• African-Caribbean communities have a higher proportion of one-parent families compared to White communities

Question 10

What did Sewell observe

Answer 10

That absent fathers are particularly problematic in the African-Caribbean families

Question 11

What is the main reason for the amount of single-parent households in African-Caribbean communities

Answer 11

The African-Caribbean mothers are choosing to live independently from their children’s father

Question 12

What does Berthoud (2003) suggest about the attitudes of the Young African-Caribbean women

Answer 12

The attitudes are characterised by ‘modern individualism’ - they are choosing to bring the children up alone as the women are more likely to be employed than men, which the men experience high rates of unemployment.
The women see them men as the burden financially

Question 13

What does research by Platt indicate

Answer 13

That African-Caribbeans are more likely than any other ethnic minority group to inter-marry with members of other ethnic groups, especially White people.

Question 14

What does Ali (2002) note

Answer 14

That such inter-marrying results in mixed-race children.

Question 15

What did Platt find about Mixed-race children

Answer 15

That the number of mixed-race children have grown significantly in recent years

Question 16

What does Class diversity refer to

Answer 16

The differences between middle-class and working-class families in terms of the relationship between husband and wife and the way in which children are socialised and disciplined

Question 17

What do some sociologists argue about social class diversity

Answer 17

They argue that middle-class parents are more child-centered than working-class parents.

Middle-class parents supposedly take a greater interest in their children’s education, and consequently pass on cultural advantage in terms of attitudes, values and practices which asset their children through the educational system

Question 18

What did Van Gillies survey of a thousand parents find

Answer 18

She found that middle-class parents emphasised their children individuality and used their economic, cultural and social capital to support their children’s progress through the educational system.

Question 19

What did Van Gillies survey find about working-class parents

Answer 19

They were less likely to view their children as special and were more concerned that their children should stay out of trouble. They were also less confident in their dealings with teachers.

Question 20

What do critical sociologists argue

Answer 20

That working-class parents are just as child-centered, but that material deprivation or poverty limits how much help they can give their children.
Therefore the working-class child’s experience of family life may be undermined by poverty.

Question 21

What evidence suggests extended kinship ties are important to the upper class

Answer 21

In the upper classes attempt to maintain wealth and privilege. The economic and political elite may use marriage and family connections to ensure ‘social closure’

Question 22

What does sexuality diversity refer to

Answer 22

The fact that in 2014 homosexual marriage was legalised and that in 1999 it was legal for homosexual relationships to be defined as a family

Question 23

What do Weeks, Heaphy and Donovan (2001) observe

Answer 23

That many gay and lesbian people see their households and friendships as their ‘chosen families’ rather than following traditional heterosexual family norms.
It is also claimed that their domestic relationships are more egalitarian and less exploitative than the heterosexual couples

Question 24

What does Calhoun (1997) say

Answer 24

Describes gay families as ‘family outlaws’ because gay families differ so much from heterosexual families and because conservatives see them as threatening the sanctity of family life which has been traditionally dominated by heterosexual norms