CHANGING FAMILY PATTERNS

Question 1

DIVORCE- HOW DID CHANGES IN THE LAW LEAD TO INCREASING LEVELS OF DIVORCE

Answer 1

1-CHANGES IN THE LAW- DIVORCES WERE HARD TO OBTAIN IN THE 19TH CENTURY
- THERE HAVE BEEN 3 TYPES OF CHANGES IN THE LAW:
*EQUALISING THE GROUNDS
*WIDENING THE GROUNDS
*MAKING DIVORCE CHEAPER
THE DIVORCE LAW REFORM ACT (1971) MADE ‘BREAKDOWN OF MARRIAGE” AN ALLOWED REASON FOR DIVORCE, THERE NO LONGER HAD TO BE A GUILTY PARTY

Question 2

DIVORCE- HOW DID DECLINE IN STIGMA AND SECULARISATION LEAD TO INCREASING LEVELS?

Answer 2

-IN THE PAST, DIVORCE AND DIVORCEES HAVE BEEN STIGMATISED E.G THE CHURCH CONDEMNED DIVORCE
- AS STIGMA DECLINES AND DIVORCE BECOMES MORE SOCIALLY ACCEPTABLE COUPLES BEGIN TO TURN TO IT AS A WAY TO SOLVE MARITAL PROBLEMS
- RATHER THAN SHAMEFUL, TODAY IT SEEN AS UNFORTUNATE

-SECULARISATION- THE DECLINE OF RELIGION IN SOCIETY, MANY SOCIOLOGISTS ARGUE THAT RELIGIOUS INSTITUTIONS ARE LOSING INFLUENCE IN TODAYS SOCIETY
- AS A RESULT OF THIS, THE OPPOSITION OF CHURCHES TO DIVORCE CARRIES LESS WEIGHT

Question 3

DIVORCE- HOW HAVE RISING EXPECTATIONS OF MARRIAGE LED TO INCREASED DIVORCE LEVELS?

Answer 3

-FLETCHER SAYS THAT HIGHER EXPECTATIONS MAKE COUPLES LESS WILLING TO TOLERATE AN UNHAPPY MARRIAGE
- LINKED TO THE IDEA OF ROMANTIC LOVE THAT HAS BECOME PROMINENT-THE IDEA THAT MARRIAGE SHOULD BE SOLELY BASED ON LOVE AND IF LOVE DIES THEN THERE IS NO REASON TO REMAIN IN A MARRIAGE COMPARED TO IN THE PAST WHEN PEOPLE STAYED OUT OF DUTY