The diversity of families has increased over these following years, due to the changes in society and values. New right hold the view that the there is only one correct or normal family type which is the nuclear family. Conservative government which traditionally follows the new right traditions support the nuclear family. Same as functionalist who have similar views ; parsons 1995 still recognise that there are a number of diversity families rising, nevertheless, functionalists 2000 argues that these changes are exaggerated and still sees the cereal packet nuclear family as the norm. Whereas on the other hand, feminist see the nuclear family still as the norm as they live under an oppressed government who follow the traditions of the new right where they believe in the nuclear family as the norm.
Anthropological studies of kinship present alternative kinship structures thereby questioning mainstream notions of marriage and family. According to Spradley and McCurdy (2009), marriage can also be polygamous in societies “where is it preferred that only one woman should be married to one man at a time,” (174) In a polygamous marriage, “one person may be married to more than one person simultaneously” (174). Based on statistical research done, the online website on the Campaign Against Polygamy And Women Oppression International (CAPWOI) (2005), states that “an estimated over three billion people around the world today still believe in polygamy” and also “an estimated over 2 billion men and women are in polygamous relationships around the world today.” These numbers are high and cannot be ignored. The same website also noted that “polygamy is still a legal culture in over 150 countries in Africa, Middle East, and most countries in the third world.” These practices co-exist in these countries together with the mainstream monogamous families and the number of countries legalizing polygamy is increasing overtime. There are
Many of the statistics he gives show that a child raised outside of a stable habitat has higher chances of illegal drug usage, teenage pregnancy, and emotional and behavioral issues. Do to the lack of commitment in modern relationships, divorce has become very prevalent in America. Santorum proposes that the main reason for the high rate of divorce is directly linked to the fact that husband and wife are more focused on making sure that they are happy as individuals, rather than on a family unit. This in turn, leaves the child feeling unloved and uncared for, in-turn leading to social issue. Living
Functionalists such as Parson, Young and Willmott (1973) and Fletcher (1966) believe that the classic extended family (more than two generations of family e.g. including grandparents and cousins living together in one household) is mostly disappearing in the UK and its replacement the privatized nuclear family (family of two generation of married heterosexual parents with their own children who lives isolated from their extended kin and community), is emerging as a family form most suited to life in contemporary British society. Parson’s Function Fit Theory explains that privatized nuclear family meets the need of society as it is socially and geographically mobile, in which it can easily move up and down the social scale in our meritocratic society (a society in which status position is based on individual’s merits and etc., rather than what family you were born into) and can easily move to places for the sake of work. However, Postmodernists argue that we no longer have clear structures such as the nuclear family, but instead a greater fragmentation and diversity of family types and lifestyle (Item 2B). This essay aims to explain and evaluate the view that there is greater diversity of family types and lifestyle today in contemporary British society.
George Murdock shows the view that the nuclear family is universal. Felicity Edholm disagrees with this statement. In this essay I will discuss both sides of this argument and come to a conclusion. In 1949, George Murdock conducted a study titled, ‘Social Structure’, and in this he studied 250 societies and decided that they all showed characteristics from the nuclear family, even though they widely varied. Murdock believes the family is a social group of people including a socially acceptable sexual relationship and children.
Although the modern family is the most well known, it may not be the most common family in the United States anymore. According to sociologists, present-day families have changed beyond resemblance. It is generally assumed today that the modern family has undergone significant structure transformations. The social changes have contributed to a reduction in the percentage of “typical” families, or nuclear families. Replacing these, are childless families, one-parent families, other family configurations and non-marital families (3).
Use sociological theory to explore a specific aspect of family diversity in 21st Century Britain: The first part of the essay will consist of identifying the term family diversity, reasons for family diversity and whether family diversity is good or bad from a sociological perspective. Second part will consist of family diversity in relation to one specific aspect which will be lone parenting. Family diversity refers to different types of family structure. Families found in Britain today consist of the following: the nuclear family which consists of both parents with children. Extended consisting grandparents who are living with the family, lone parents consisting of one single parent with children, re constituted and same sex parenting.
Over time, the traditional structure has had to adapt to very influential changes, including divorce and the introduction of single- parent families, teenage pregnancy and unwed mothers, homosexuality and same-sex marriage, and increased interest in adoption. Social movements such as the feminist movement and the stay- at home dad, have contributed to the creation of alternative forms, generating new controversy and concerns for the American family. Types of Family Structure The nuclear family is considered the “traditional” family. The nuclear family consists of a mother, father, and children. The two-parent nuclear family has become less prevalent, and alternative family forms have become more common.
Using the material from item 2B and elsewhere assess the view that the growth of family diversity has led to the decline of the traditional nuclear family in the past, traditionally families have mostly been the ‘traditional nuclear family’ made up of a married man and woman and children. However there has recently been a decline in the amount of traditional nuclear families, and an increase in diverse family types. There are now less people following the traditional view that the nuclear family is the ‘normal’ way to live. The diverse families now include families such as, lone parent families, reconstituted family, extended family, lone person households, cohabiting couples and same sex couples. New right believe that the incline in family diversity and a decline in the nuclear family is a cause of many social problems.
Each man could have more than one wife. Matrifocal families – In the Caribbean, parts of central America and the USA many households do not contain an adult male. Gonzalez (1970) found they are well adapted to living in poverty and the mothers have a lot of support from female relatives. Gay and lesbian families do not conform to this definition and civil partnerships were legalised in 2005 suggesting they are “socially approved.” Ideology and the Family New Right thinkers support narrow definitions of the family. Increasing family diversity suggests that the nuclear family is no longer the norm.