conjugal roles functionalist, marxist and feminist view xx

Question 1

what do functionalist believe about conjugal roles?

Answer 1

• argued it was “natural” for women to be housewives and men breadwinners
• makes sense women are breadwinners as their assumed nurturing characteristics
• each characters having an important role keeps family stable- important role for primary socialisation is ‘gender socialisation
• if primary socialisation is done properly men will take instrumental role and women expressive role

Question 2

what are the criticisms of functionalist views on conjugal roles?

Answer 2

• they ignore conflict
• old fashioned
• they think people take on role because of their biology
• ignore women suffering
• little recognition of family diversity

Question 3

what do marxist believe about conjugal roles?

Answer 3

• men and women have dif roles as evidence of the power of capitalism to control family life.
• men and women have unequal roles
• they see women as ‘reproduction of labour’, as they care fir the workforce.
• unpaid domestic labour of women is low, hiring childcare means mens wages would need to be higher

Question 4

what are the criticisms of marxist views on conjugal roles?

Answer 4

• marxist view ignores family diversity
• ignored inequalities between men
• ignores pros of nuclear family
• sees women’s exploitation as a consequence of capitalism

Question 5

what do functionalist believe about conjugal roles?

Answer 5

• one in ten married men does an equal amount of cleaning/washing.
• 1/2 of women still dies 13hrs or more housework per week.
• figures from office of national statistics show in 2018 there were 223,000 stay at home dads.
• 1.91 mil stay at home mums recorded in 2017
• radical feminists focus in means of oppression in the home, they believe men benefit more than capitalism

Question 6

what are the criticisms of feminist views on conjugal roles?

Answer 6

• feminist ignore that women may enjoy family life