Using material from Item 2B and elsewhere, assess the view that gender roles and relationships have become more equal in modern family life. (24 marks) Firstly, the item suggests that ‘a number of changes have taken place in gender roles and relationships within families.’ There are a number of sociological perspectives which agree with this statement and also various approaches that criticise the nature of these changes. They argue whether they have created greater equality within modern family life or whether this statement is simply exaggerated. This essay will assess these views and will conclude whether gender roles and relationships have in reality, become more equal in modern family life. Initially, within the modernity period, functionalists like Parsons (1955), saw a biological division of labour which he claimed were beneficial to the family and thus wider society.
Discuss how far sociologist would agree that the nuclear family is no longer the norm in modern day Britain. A nuclear family is one of many family types in modern day society, there are many different variations. Some sociologists say that nuclear families is and should remain the norm, whilst others believe that society is now too diverse to simply have only one family type. In this essay I will explore whether the nuclear family is no longer the norm in Britain and what thee different reasons are. A reason in particular that nuclear families are no longer the norm is that, divorce rate has increased.
The interpretation of statistical evidence relating to family diversity. 3. The concepts of life-cycle and family structure in relation to various theoretical forms of family diversity. Chris.Livesey: www.sociology.org.uk Page 1 Family Life Unit 2: Family DiversityIntroductionIn this set of Notes we are going to consider family life in terms of the idea of familiesas a social group within different societies. In particular, the emphasis will be on theconcept of family diversity; that is, the different forms of family relationship it ispossible to note and outline.The Diversity of Contemporary Family LifeWhen we examined the "fit thesis" (see: Teachers’ Notes Unit 2: Family andIndustrialisation) in relation to the way family structures have changed over to past300 years in Britain, we noted that writers such as Laslett and Anderson focusedpart of their criticism on the notion that a single type of family structure could beconsidered "dominant" in whatever period of time one chose to examine (forexample, the idea that the "extended family" was the dominant (main) form in pre-industrial Britain or that the "nuclear family" is the dominant form in industrial Britain).As Andersons research clearly indicated, this "monolithic"
Another group is the Feminists who have different groups within them, some with very optimistic views, some with views that will agree with Marxists or some who will have their own ideologies and ways to demolish the generic nuclear family. This essay will explore the different functions performed by the family and see how that benefits individuals and society; whether that’s in a bad way or a good way. Functionalists believe that the family provides many functions for the individual and for society. Parsons and Murdock, two functionalists believe that the family is the primary agent of socialisation for an individual; the family is an important organ in the body of society. Murdock saw the family, the nuclear family in particular, an absolute need for society and he considered the four basic functions of the family to be the sexual, the reproductive, the socialisation and the economic.
Stigma is a negative social symbol of disgrace that affects a person’s social identity. Feminism supports the social equality of the sexes. New Right is a political group which has a conservative and anti-feminist view on the family and is opposed to family diversity. Family Diversity There is great diversity within the modern British family. There is more than one type, for example: lone parents; pensioners; stepfamilies; families with/without children.
Murdock – argues that the family performs four essential functions to meet the needs of society and it members. 1) Stable satisfaction of the sex drive – with the same partner, which prevents a social disruption 2) Reproduction of the next generation – without which society wouldn’t continue 3) Socialisation of the young – into society’s shared norms and values 4) Meeting its members economic needs – such as food and shelter Murdock argues that these four factors explains why having a nuclear family is universal Criticisms of Murdock Other sociologists argue that other institutions or non nuclear family structures could equally performs these functions, not just nuclear families. Feminists argue that they see the family as serving the needs of men and oppressing women. Parsons functional fit theory Parsons distinguishes two family structures Nuclear family – just parents and dependent children Non Nuclear family – three generations living under the same roof Parsons argues that the particular structure and functions of a given type of family will ‘fit’ the needs of the society in which it is found. According to Murdock there are two basic types of society -Modern industrial family: nuclear family -Pre industrial family: extended family A geographically mobile workforce -Parsons argues that it is easier for the nuclear family to move.
Functionalist Parsons believes that instability is created with diversity and the nuclear family is a lot more predictable and therefore practical family structure. New Right sociologist Murray believes that benefits given to diverse families such as lone parent families are harmful to the nuclear family and he believes that it encourages irresponsibility and laziness. This view is criticised by the Labour view as they believe that benefits help those in poverty and encourage family diversity as people should be able to live how they choose. The New Labour has nothing against the nuclear family but does believe that people should be able to live in different family structures and they should be supported in doing so. Also post modernists believe that the nuclear family is no longer dominant and people now live in a society where they make their own decisions and every family is different in structure as peopled live with freedom and they don’t have to follow convention.
George Peter Murdock found that nuclear families are universal. He also believed in 4 function of the family. These included of the nuclear family supplying a sexual function, as being a couple stabilises satisfaction of the sex drive with a constant partner and prevents social disruption, too supplies a reproductive function as being a family ensures new members of society to keep society going and an educational function as parents socialise their young into the norms and values of society. Also, he believes that the family have an economic function as they meet the economic needs of food and shelter. However, Murdock’s view of the nuclear family eliminate any other family structures, which too are able to supply these functions, and also neglects the conflict and exploitation of family.
Question: Laws relating to family situations are becoming more difficult to determine because of the difficulty in defining ‘family’. Explain how the laws have had to change to reflect changing social values about families. It is thus difficult in modern times to define what a family is. Society of the past always thought that a family did consist only of parents and their children who are blood related but now, through many technological and political influences, society have changed which dramatically affects the structure of the family. The family structure can be affected by the proliferation of divorce.
Knowing these facts, the families make a decision, whereas, some families make decisions after their finances. In many cases, the families of child brides are rewarded greatly, a sort of bride price. For this knowledge question, a counter argument could be that because experts of the same discipline share the same knowledge, it would make it hard for them to disagree. Logic would have to play an important role in this argument. It takes the same studies to be in the same discipline therefore it would be logical for the experts to reach similar