The family and social structure Flashcards
(36 cards)
Who argued the ‘universal functions of family’?
Murdock (1949)
What is the criticism of Murdock’s definition of family?
Too deterministic and out-dated
- Fails to acknowledge changes in family unit since the social policy changes.
What were Murdock’s 4 functions of family?
- The sexual function
- The reproductive function
- The economic function
- The educational function
What did Parsons argue were the main functions of the family?
- Primary Socialisation
2. Stabilisation of adult personalities
Who argued that the structure of family changes to the needs of society?
Talcott Parsons (1965)
Who argued that family developed so that men could be certain of the paternity of children?
Engel (1884) - passing property down to their offspring
Who sees family as a prop in a capitalist system?
Zaretsky (1976)
Why did Zaretsky argue that family was a prop in capitalism?
The unpaid domestic labour of housewives supports future generations of worker at no cost to employers.
Also large consumptions of capitalist commodities.
Who argued that family was an ideological state apparatus to control the proletariat?
Poulantzas (1969)
Who argued that family was an ‘ideological conditioning device’?
David Cooper (1972)
Why is society patriarchal in the eyes of radical feminists?
Women are dominated by men due to biology and men use violence or ideology to control women
Why is society patriarchal in the eyes of marxist feminist?
Men’s financial power keeps women in their place. Women do more unpaid work and receive lower wages making them financially dependent on men.
Why is society patriarchal in the eyes of liberal feminists?
Socialisation into gender roles and sexist discrimination restricts women’s opportunities.
Who argues that women are still subservient to their husbands?
Germaine Greer (2000)
Who argues that wives are used to produce and rear cheap labour for employers?
Margaret Benston (1972)
Who argues that wives suffer as a result of frustration experienced by their husbands?
Fran Ansley (1972)
Who argues that women are still disadvantaged within the family, but not as much as radical make it out to be?
Jennifer Sommerville (2000)
Who believes that women are better off outside traditional families?
Nicholson (1997)
Who believes that women cannot be exploited by men in lesbian families?
Calhoun (1997)
Which neoliberal thinker identifies the decline in nuclear families?
Patricia Morgan (2003)
Who argued that Thatcher’s policies actually promoted family diversity?
Abbott and Wallace (1992)
Who argued about family and industrialisation were connected?
Talcott Parsons
Who created the term ‘beanpole’? And what does it mean?
Julia Brannen (2003) - strong intergenerational links between grandparents, children and grandchildren; whilst connections with siblings and cousins are weaker
Who coined the term ‘dispersed extended family’? And what does it mean?
Peter Willmott (1988) - most people live in nuclear families but contacts with extended family members who may live some distance apart remain important.
