Topic 1 - Theories of the family

Question 1

What does functionalist George Murdock say about the family?

Answer 1

• He carried out a survey which examined a total of 250 societies.
• He concluded that the nuclear family is so important that it is univeral: it exits in all societies and therfore must serve essential functions for society and the individual.
• He claims the family performs important functions which are: Economic, sexual, reproduction and educational.

Question 2

What are the criticisms of Murdock?

Answer 2

• Marxists and feminists reject the ‘rose tinted’ consensus view that the family meets the needs of both the individual members of the family and the needs of wider society.
• Feminists - family serves the needs of men and oppresses women.
• Marxism - meets the needs of capitalism.

Question 3

What does the functionalist Talcott Parsons say about the family?

Answer 3

• Developed a fit theory
• Claims that the stucture of the family changes over time to suit the type of society that exists at that time.
• He argues the extended family was normal pre industrialisation timess as it duited that society, whereas the nuclear family is mroe suited to industrial society.

Question 4

What are the criticisms of Parsons?

Answer 4

• Young and Willmott - pre-industrial family was nuclear. Early induistrial period = “mum centred” WC extended family. Relying on eachother for financial, practical and emotional support.
• Laslett - studies families between 1500’s to 1800’s and they were almost always nuclear. Grandparents were unlikely to be alive for very long after the birth of 1st grandchild.
• Genders are socially constructed and often involve the oppression of women
• Functionalism is too determinsitic - ignores the fact that children actively create their own personalities.

Question 5

Evaluation of Marxism…

Answer 5

• Downplaying Conflict – Plenty of children resist parental control and rebel, ignores the fact that children actively create their own personalities
• Being out of Date - Ignores family diversity
• Feminists: Ignores the exploitation of women (Feminism) - Gender roles are socially constructed
• Ignoring the harmful effects of family life - parents aren’t always loving and supportive

Question 6

What does the marxist Engels say about the family?

Answer 6

• He analysed family historically to see how it evolved over time beck to whenn humans were promiscuous and the family did not exist to its present form - that is a monogamous nuclear family.
• He argues that this type developed at the same time as ownership of private property and the emrgence of inheritence.
• Upon a death, a man had to enusre that his property was inherited by his children. The only way he could be certain that he was the father of his children was to make the woman his porerty through marriage and restriciting her sexual freedom.
• The monogamous nuclear family ensured the rich could pass on their wealth to their family members and this way the social class system was reproduced to the following generations.

Question 7

What are the criticisms of Engels?

Answer 7

• It’s not clear that the promiscuous horde ever really existed (Murdock found the nuclear family was universal)
• According to Murcdock, the nuclear family existed before capitalism in many areas.
• Feminism - this theory underestimates the importance of gender inequality and focuses of class inequality instead.

Question 8

What does David Cooper say about the family?

Answer 8

• Family acts as a idealogical conditioning device-
• The modern nuclear family functions to promote values and ways of thinking aboutcapitalism that ensure the reproduction and maintenance of capitalism.
• It does this in three main ways –
  (A) Making us believe that hierarchy and inequality are normal
  (B) Providing a ‘safe haven’ for workers, giving them the illusion that they are in control of their lives
  (C) by promoting consumption, which keeps capitalism going.

Question 9

What does Zaretsky say about the family?

Answer 9

• It’s a prop to he capitalist system
• The nuclear family provided comfort to alienated workers which enabled them to carry on working – both in the sense that it offered emotional support, but also because supporting a family and children gave work a purpose.

Question 10

What does Althusser say about the family.

Answer 10

• Argued that in order for capitalism to survive the W/C must submit to the ruling class or Bourgeoisie.
• Through socialisation in the family we come to accept and support Capitalism. Social Policies made by Capitalists are not to be trusted.
• They are there to keep the workers alive, keep people quiet and make them think they have a caring face and benefits keep people in poverty and can be withdrawn or changed at any time.

Question 11

What does the marxist Foucalt say about the family and surveillence?

Answer 11

• Developed the concept of surveillance (observing and monitoring) to describe the way that state can exercise social control over people.
• Surveillance is associated with external pressure though social institutions like the criminal justice system, media and education which watch over people and encourage them to conform to social norms.
• He says social norms will confirm what a good family should be like in relation to family life and parenting.
• In post modern societies, he argues tht the idea of surveillance is all internalised.
• Individuals now police themselves and follow social norms as they believe its in their best interest to do so.

Question 12

What does the marxist Henderson say about the family?

Answer 12

• Argues that social institutions no longer need to enforce social control over how people behave because they do it themselves - they constantly monitor and keep an eye on their own behaviours.
• He applied Foucalt’s concept of surveillance to the family and motherhood.
• Mothers exercise surveillance over themselves and one another informally as they observe, talk to, critisize and judge themselves and one another about parenting styles, about what products they buy for their children , access to computer games and diet.
• This surveillance is maintained by mothers guilt if they dont live up to the self imposed parent expectations.

Question 13

What are the criticisms of marxism?

Answer 13

• Too deterministic - not all families are high consumption families, not all children accept authority
• Marxims ignores the benefits of nuclear family - may acutally be the best family type for protecting children against advertising and consumerism
• Ignored family diversity - in capitalist society - nuclear families are in decline, more people living alone.
• Feminists argue that the marxists focus on class and ignores the inuquaities between men and women, which is the real source of female oprression

Question 14

What do feminists say about the family?

Answer 14

• Take a critical view on the family
• Oppressive to women
• Gender ineuqality is not natural or inevitable - socially constructed.

Question 15

What do liberal feminists say about the famiy?

Answer 15

• Concerned with campaigning against sex discrimination for equal rights and opportunities for women.
• Oppression is being gradually overcome - liberal feminists are about gradual reform rather then revolt.
• Need to change people’s attitudes and law chnages- e.g sex discrimination act (1975) outlaws discrimination in employment.
• Full gender equality has not been fully reached but gradually progressing

Question 16

Criticisms of lib feminists…

Answer 16

• Ethnocentric - most LF’s are middle class white women - theory reflects their experience.
• Women still do the majority of housework - worse now because they face a dual burden.
• Women are still primary child careres - in 90% of families.
• Women are still more likely to be victims of domestic violence - 1/4 of women are victims.

Question 17

What do marxists feminists say about the family?

Answer 17

• Main cause of opression in the fmily is capitalism, not men
• Functions women perform for capitalism:
  …reproduce the labour force - through unpaid domestic labour, by socialising the next generation of workers and maintaining/servicing the current one.
  …absorb anger that would otherwise be directed at capitalism. Fran Ansley describes wives as the “takers of shit” who soak up the frustration of their husbands after feelign alienated and exploited at work. This explains domestic violence against women.
  …women are reserve army for cheap labour - used when extra workers are needed. When no longer needed aployers can let them go to return to their primary role as unpaid domestic labour.

Question 18

Criticisms of marxist feminists…

Answer 18

• LF’s - women in general have greater equality and freedom in capitalism (not communist) societies.
• Radical feminists - argue patriarchy is found in all societies, not just capitalist ones.

Question 19

What do radical feminists say about family?

Answer 19

• All relationships between men and women are based on patricarchy - men are the cause of womens opression and exploitation.
• Against liberal feminism - paid work has not been “liberating”. Women have acquired the dual burden and the “triple shift”
• Dark side of family life - 1 in 4 women will experience domestic violence

Question 20

Criticisms of radical feminists…

Answer 20

• Highlights the extent of comestic abuse suffered by women within the nuclear family.
• There tends to be a more equality in lesbian relationships than heterosexual relationships.
• Ignores the progress that women ahve made in many areas - e.g., work, controlling fertility and divorce.
• Ignores domestc/emotional abuse suffered by men who dont report it often.

Question 21

What do difference feminists say about the family?

Answer 21

• Argue we can’t generalise about women’s experiences as if they’re all from conventional nuclear families.
• E.g., black feminists argue white feminists neglect black women’s experience of radical opression. Black feminists argue black families are a positive course of support and resistance against opression.
• Women share many experiences when compared with men, they face greater risk of domestic abuse, sexual assault and low pay.

Question 22

Criticisms of difference feminists…

Answer 22

• Doesnt think about the fact that despite differences, women share the same experiences - women are at higher risk of sexual assault, low pay etc.

Question 23

What does John Redwood say about the family (NRP)?

Answer 23

The natural state should be the 2 adult familt caring for their children.

Question 24

What does Michael Howard say about the family (NRP)?

Answer 24

The traditional 2 parent family is best.

Question 25

What do Flouri and Buchanan say about one parent families?

Answer 25

• Studied 17,000 children from families that had experienced separation and divorce found that families where fathers were still involved with their children, they were more more successful in gaining educational qualifications and opportunities.
• Less likely to get into trouble with police
• Less likely to become homeless
• However, if problems occured between parents after divorce then children could become bulnerable to mental health issues.

Question 26

Criticisms of new right perspective on families…

Answer 26

• The Nuclear Family is too idealised - Radical Feminists would argue that single parent families and divorce might be lesser evils than abuse and domestic violence.
• Marxists argues POVERTY is the main factor which causes problems in the family, not the family type in particular and poverty is a problem for nuclear families and single parents alike.
• Marxists and Feminists argue that The New Right create a ‘moral panic’ over single parent families and families of welfare – to divert attention away from the real cause of social problems – Capitalism and Patriarchy.

Question 27

What do post modernists Rhona and Rapoport say about the family?

Answer 27

• Argue that diversity is of central importance in understanding family life today. They believe that we have moved away from the traditional nuclear
  family as the dominant family type, to a range of different types.
  -

Question 28

hat does Cheal say about the family?

Answer 28

• We no longer live in ‘modern’ society with its predictable, orderly structures such as the nuclear family. In postmodernists view we now live in a
  new, chaotic, postmodern stage.

Question 29

What does Anthony Giddens say about the family?

Answer 29

• Family and marriage have been transformed by greater choice and more equal relationships between men and women.
• Contraception has allowed sex and intimacy rather than only for reproduction.
• Women have greater opportunities in education and work.
• Giddens argues that in the past traditional family relationships were held together by laws and powerful norms e.g. against divorce and sex outside marriage.
• However, todays couples are free to define their relationship themselves.

Question 30

What does Giddens say about pure relationships?

Answer 30

• Relationships are no longer held together by law, religion or social norms but rather based on individual choice and equality.
• This is the pure relationship- it exists solely to satisfy each partners needs.
• As a result, the relationship is likely to survive only so long as both partners think it is in their own interests to do so.
• However, Giddens notes that with more choice, relationships become less stable.
• The pure relationship acts as a rolling contract which can be terminated by either
  partner, rather than a permanent commitment.
• This then creates more family diversity with more lone parent families, one person households, step families and so on.

Question 31

What does Giddens say about same sex couples?

Answer 31

• Giddens sees same sex relationships as leading the way towards new family types
  and creating more democratic and equal relationships.
• They are not influenced by traditional values and roles.
• They can build a family dynamic that suits their own needs rather than conforming to
  pre-existing norms in the way that heterosexual couples have traditionally had to do.

Question 32

What does Beck say about Individualisation thesis & risk society?

Answer 32

• Modern era= stability and lifelong relationships
• Late modern era= greater emotional risk in relationships led to the development
  of alternative approaches to traditional marriage
• There are not fixed roles to follow and therefore the nature of relationships focuses more on emotional support rather than financial stability
• When making our own choices we must calculate the risk and rewards

Question 33

Criticisms of Post Modernism…

Answer 33

• Budgeon - exaggerates how much choice people have. Traditional norms that limit people’s relationship choices have not weakened as much as the thesis claims.
• Ignores the fact that decisions made about relationships are made within a social context.
• Ignores the importance of structural factors such as social class inequalities and patriarchal gender norms in limiting and shaping our relationship
  choices.

Question 34

What do Nordqvist and Smart say about donor conceived children?

Answer 34

• The issue of blood and genes raised a range
  of feelings. Some parents emphasised the importance of social relationships over
  genetic ones forming family bonds.
• Differences in appearance also caused issues and raised questions about the donors identity and the possibility of ‘donor siblings’ and whether or not these counted as family for their child.

Question 35

Evaluation of personal life perspective …

Answer 35

• Nordqvist and Smart’s study helps us understand how people themselves construct and define their relationships as ‘family’ rather than imposing traditional sociological definitions of the family (based on blood and genetics).
• PLP is accused of taking too broad a view. By including a wide range of different kinds of relationships we ignore what is special about relationships that are based on blood or marriage.
• PLP rejects the top down view taken by other perspectives such as functionalism.
• However, unlike functionalism, PLP recognises that relatedness might not always be positive.

Question 36

What are the criticisms of Murdock?