Murdock (1949) defines the nuclear family of consisting of two generations: parents and their immature offspring. He also assumes that they are co-resident or live in the same household. In Britain it was assumed for many years that the traditional nuclear family was the ‘ideal’ family in which people should attempt to achieve. Oakley (1984) illustrates how that nuclear structure was still presented as the conventional family. It was assumed that the nuclear families members should be biologically related and it should be based upon heterosexual love and marriage.
Outline and assess functionalist and new right views on the family This essay aims to explore the views of the functionalist and new rights approach on the family. Functionalists argue that the family is the most important institution in society as it benefits both the individual and society. They have the most positive view on the family, and state that it performs vital functions for the maintenance of society. Their main emphasis is on the nuclear family which is the stereotypical family of married, heterosexual parents with children - they tend to ignore any other family types. The approach presents the family as a family isolated from wider kinships because of the mobility required by labour markets in industrial societies.
This was introduced by the Labour party, who Lewis argues have taken on the idea of ‘social investment in children’ seriously and have realised family forms are changing. The Labour party have introduced a number of laws, attempting to strengthen the family unit. They were mainly concerned on helping the social and economic position of women, for example, marital rape was made illegal in 1991 by the Labour party. The rights of children have also been improved by the labour party due to the children’s act of 1989. New right thinkers however; believe that these laws undermine the traditional male dominance in families, but many believe these new policies for women and children strengthen the family rather than weaken it.
Assess sociological explanations of the nature and extent of family diversity today. Family diversity is the idea that there are a range of different family types, rather than a single dominant one like the nuclear family. It is associated with the post-modernists idea that in today’s society increasing choice about relationships is creating greater family diversity. The modernist view sees society as having a fairly fixed, predictable structure. The modernists see the nuclear family as being the best as it performs certain essential functions.
Great examples of this is when Orwell uses imagery to describe the Big Brother(much like Nazi Gestapo) and when Huxley uses imagery to describe the control of children and their births. Both of these authors were on the right track. Our current leader of the U.S. uses such technology to listen to and record our daily lives.Both of these books share the same thought, and vision of our future. Huxley provide their examples of this takeover of power by showing government control of technology, control of peoples minds and thoughts. Huxley’s novel illustrates a society that is carefully balanced, by reproduction and assignment of classes.
Similarities between past and modern republican platforms: · Abortion views are the same – Unborn child has individual right to life, no infringement · Immigration – Law is strongly enforced against those who come overseas with a visa · Marriage is the base and national standard of our society Similarities between past and modern democratic platforms: · Work force – More job opportunities for all · Middle class tax cuts · Achieving adequate housing supply so that everyone has a proper place to live 5. I feel like Jefferson would be part of the Democratic Party in today’s world. He was a secular and liberal humanist, and that leans more towards the platforms of the Democratic Party. On the other hand Alexander Hamilton would be closer to the Republican Party because he extremely supported a theocracy, and he also cared more about the stability of the country economically instead of the people, hence he created the Federalist
Furthermore, in 2004 the Civil Partnership Act meant that gay individuals could now enter into a civil partnership; resulting in the stability and long term commitment of a family. All these changes could be linked to the growth of same sex families. Some sociologists are really happy with these changes. For example, feminists believe that society is patriarchal, meaning that men dominate and exploit women. They suggest
Early in this country growth the population was very diverse, but they all seemed to share some very common goals and principles. One fundamental principle was family. This principle is becoming lost as our nation becomes more acceptable of gay and lesbian lifestyles. We accept young girls getting pregnant and the fathers not being held accountable. Rather than looking at the
According to Murdock, the nuclear family consists of a heterosexual couple and two children all living in the same household and that the nuclear family is universal therefore has existence in all societies. There are many views on the nuclear family to how and if it benefits all the members as well as how it helps society. Functionalist have a really positive view of the family as they believe we live in a society where everything is perfect , whereas Marxists and feminists see the nuclear family as a negative structure which is uneven in how it benefits people with in it and society. Functionalists believe that the nuclear family is a positive institution that is beneficial to society. Murdock suggests four main functions the nuclear family performs for the good of society as a whole and the individuals.
Francis Fukuyama wrote on this subject in his essay Genetic Engineering. Fukuyama believes that this biotechnology must be tightly regulated for the sake of our common humanity. Many other experts agree with him. As quoted from Designer Babies by Tania Unsworth: Want a perfect child? Some geneticists believe the day may not be far away when we can choose every detail... male or female, gay or straight.