SCLY1 - Families and Households - Topic 6 - Family diversity and the life course (AS AQA sociology)

The New Right have a conservative and anti-feminist perspective on the family. They are firmly opposed to ___________ _______.

The New Right argue that the decline of the traditional nuclear family and the growth of family diversity are the cause of many social problems, such as higher crime rates and educational failure.

The New Right see which family type as both unnatural and harmful, especially to children? They argue that this family type cannot discipline their children properly, they are a burden on the welfare state and they leave boys without a role model, resulting in higher rates of delinquency and threatening social stability.

The new right see ____________ as the essential basis for creating a stable environment in which to bring up children. They regard both cohabitation and divorce as creating family instability by making it easier for adults to avoid commitment and responsibility. This then has negative effects on children.

The New Right argue that family breakdown increases risks to children. For example according to __________ children in these families face greater risks of poverty, educational failure, crime and health problems, as well as an increased chance of future family breakdown when they become adults themselves.

The New Right opposes many of the recent trends in family life on economic and political grounds. As conservatives, they are strongly opposed to high levels of taxation and government spending.

The New Right favour cutting welfare benefits or even abolishing them entirely to reduce the dependency culture and encourage the conventional family.

The New Right view has been criticised by ___________ for wrongly assuming that husbands and wives roles are fixed by biology. In fact cross-cultural studies show great variation in the roles that men and women perform within the family. She believes that the New Right view of the family is a negative reaction against the feminist movement.

Feminists also argue that the traditional nuclear family favoured by the New Right is based on the patriarchal oppression of women and is a fundamental cause of gender inequality. In their view, it prevents women working, keeps them financially dependent on men, and denies them an equal say in decision-making.

_____________ recognises that there has been some increased family diversity in recent years. however unlike the New Right, he does not regard this as very significant, nor does he see it in a negative light. He argues that the only important change is a move from the dominance of the traditional nuclear family, to what he describes as the Neo-conventional family.

By the conventional family, Chester means the type of family described by which 2 sociological theories? This is a family with a domestic division of labour between a male breadwinner and a female homemaker.

Chester defines the Neo-conventional family as............

Chester argues that the most people are not choosing to live in alternatives to the nuclear family on a long term basis, and the nuclear family remains the ideal to which people aspire.

Chester argues that ______________ are a misleading snapshot of where everyone is living at a single moment in time because they don't show us the fact that most people will spend a major part of their life in a nuclear family?

Which of these is not a pattern identified by Chester (1985)?

___________ argue that diversity is of central importance in understanding family life today. They believe we have moved away from the traditional nuclear family as the dominant family type, to a range of different types. Families in Britain have adapted to a pluralistic society - that is, one in which cultures and lifestyles are more diverse.

The Rapoport's see diversity as a response to people's different needs and wishes, and not as abnormal or a deviation from the assumed norm of the nuclear family.

The Rapoports identify five different types of family diversity in Britain today; What is meant by Organisational diversity?

The Rapoports identify five different types of family diversity in Britain today; What is meant by Cultural diversity?

The Rapoports identify five different types of family diversity in Britain today; What is meant by Social class diversity?

The Rapoports identify five different types of family diversity in Britain today; What is meant by Life-Stage Diversity?

The Rapoports identify five different types of family diversity in Britain today; What is meant by Generational Diversity?

Post-modernists reject the modernist idea that there is one 'best' family type or that the family's structure shapes its members behaviour. Post-modernists argue that structural or modernist approaches ignore 2 facts; Individuals are ____________ ______________, we make choices about our family life and relationships. Structural approaches wrongly assume that our actions are shaped and dictated by the needs of society. They also ignore that we now have much ______ _________ about our personal relationships, and this has increased family diversity so much that we can no longer talk about about a single 'best' or dominant type, or even a set of types (such as those the Rapoports identify). Select 2.

_____________ uses an approach known as life course analysis. This starts from the idea that flexibility and variation in people's family lives- in the choices and decisions they make, and in the timing and sequence of the events and turning points in their lives. For example these might include the decision to have a baby,come out as gay, or move into sheltered accommodation.

_________________ examine how young people experience leaving home, for example in relation to what it means to be independent and in terms of how others such as parents and friends influence their decisions.

Life course analysis has two major strengths; It focuses on what family members themselves consider important, rather than what sociologists may regard as important. It looks at how families and households change from the viewpoint of the people involved and the meanings they give to their lives, relationships and choices. What is the 2nd strength?

______________ uses the concept of 'family practices' to describe the routine actions through which we create our sense of being a family member, such as feeding the children or doing DIY.

The concept of family practices allows us to see why conflict may exist within families - because different members may hold different beliefs or expectations about each others responsibilities.

Morgan prefers the concept of _____ _________, rather than family structure, as a way of describing how we construct our life course and relationships. In his view, families are not concrete things or structures - they are simply what people actually do.

_______________ sees the family as a clear-cut, distinct structure separate from other aspects of society. However, Morgan (2007) argues that as today's society becomes more fragmented , networks such as family, friendship and other kinds of relationships become less clear-cut and boundaries between them become blurred.

While the Rapoports identify a range of family diversity, postmodernists such as _____________ go much further. They argue that we no longer live in the modern world, with its predictable, orderly structures such as the nuclear family. Instead, society has entered a new, chaotic postmodern stage. in postmodern society, family structures are fragmented and individuals have much more choice in their life styles, personal relationships and family arrangements. As a result family has become even more diverse than the Rapoports recognise.

An advantage of of greater diversity and choice is that it gives individuals greater freedom to plot their own life course - to choose the kind of family and personal relationships that meet their needs. But greater freedom of choice and in relationships means a greater risk of instability, since these relationships are more likely to break up.

___________ argues that in recent decades the family and marriage have been transformed by greater choice and a more equal relationship between men and women. This transformation has occurred because; Contraception has allowed sex and intimacy rather than reproduction to become the main reason for the relationships existence. Also women have gained independence as a result of feminism and because of greater opportunities in education and work.

______________ argues that we now live in a risk society where tradition has less influence and people have more choice. As a result, we are more aware of risks. This is because making choices involves calculating the risks and rewards of the different courses of action available.

Today's risk society contrasts with an earlier time when roles were more fixed and people had much less choice in how they lived their lives. For example, people were expected to marry. Once married, men were expected to play the role of breadwinner and disciplinarian and to make the important financial decisions, while women took responsibility for the housework and childcare.

The patriarchal family has been undermined by 2 trends; Greater gender equality and ________________

According to post-modernists there is a new family type replacing the patriarchal family. _______________ call this the 'Negotiated family'. Negotiated families do not conform to the traditional family norm, but vary according to the wishes and expectations of their members, who decide what is best for themselves by negotiation. They enter the relationship on an equal basis.

A disadvantage of all post-modern family types is that they are less ________.

______________ argues that greater choice has benefited women. It has enabled them to free themselves from patriarchal oppression and to shape their family arrangements to meet their needs.

________________ argues that it is pointless trying to make large scale generalisations about the family as if it were a single thing as functionalists do. Instead, sociologists ought to give more attention to how people create their own diverse family lives and practices.

__________________ identifies a long-term shift in attitudes since the 1950's. Over this period, sexual morality has become largely a matter of personal choice. At the same time, the church and state have lost much of their power to influence individual morality.

There is growing acceptance of sexual and family diversity, especially by the under 35's. Attitudes have become more favourable towards issues such as cohabitation and homosexuality.

__________ observes that despite these changing attitudes, family patterns continue to be fairly traditional. Most people still live in a family; most children are brought up by couples; most couples marry and many divorcees remarry. Argues that although the New Right continue to oppose diversity they are fighting a losing battle.

Which sociological theories hold the 'Against Diversity' View?

Which sociological theory hold the 'In Favour of Diversity' view?