Families
KEY DEFINITIONS
- A household: the term used to describe the group of people living together in the same place e.g. a family, group of students, a couple fostering children, a lodger renting a room in a house.
- A family: all the people who are related to each other either through blood, marriage or adoption.
SOCIOLOGICAL APPROACHES TO THE FAMILY
Functionalism: Functionalists see the family as POSITIVE for society.
They look at the functions that the nuclear family performs for the good of society as a whole. These functions include:
Marxism: Marxists see the family as NEGATIVE for society.
Marxists are critical of the family and society. They believe society is based on a conflict between the classes – working class and ruling class. The family helps to maintain class differences in society as the rich can afford to give their children a better start in life than the poor, e.g. pay for a better education, get them a good job either in their own business or their friends businesses. Marxists believe the family socialises the working class to accept that it is fair that the classes are unequal.
Feminism: Feminists see the family as NEGATIVE for society.
Feminists believe the family is bad for women. Girls and boys learn their different gender roles within the family through socialisation. Girls copy their mothers, doing housework, whilst boys copy their fathers, doing DIY. They then learn that this is how male and female roles should be. Feminists believe that the family is male dominated (patriarchal).
Functionalism: Functionalists see the family as POSITIVE for society.
They look at the functions that the nuclear family performs for the good of society as a whole. These functions include:
- Reproduction - the family has children which means the human race keeps going
- Primary socialisation - the family teaches children norms (acceptable behaviour) and values (right and wrong)
- Economic support – The family gives financial support, it feeds and provides shelter.
- Do better at school
- Get better jobs
- Do not turn to crime
Marxism: Marxists see the family as NEGATIVE for society.
Marxists are critical of the family and society. They believe society is based on a conflict between the classes – working class and ruling class. The family helps to maintain class differences in society as the rich can afford to give their children a better start in life than the poor, e.g. pay for a better education, get them a good job either in their own business or their friends businesses. Marxists believe the family socialises the working class to accept that it is fair that the classes are unequal.
Feminism: Feminists see the family as NEGATIVE for society.
Feminists believe the family is bad for women. Girls and boys learn their different gender roles within the family through socialisation. Girls copy their mothers, doing housework, whilst boys copy their fathers, doing DIY. They then learn that this is how male and female roles should be. Feminists believe that the family is male dominated (patriarchal).
Family Types
Main changes to the family
- More people living together without being married.
- More single parent families.
- More same sex families.
- Smaller household sizes.
- More families from diverse cultural backgrounds.
- Lots of different types of family existing at the same time.
Children and parents
Children's employments and education - no more dangerous jobs (Victorian times 1800's), some (mainly richer) children entitled to some education (1900's), welfare state after 2nd WW - all children 4-16 must go to school (except travellers and home-schooled). This means children are dependant on families until at least 16.
Parents employment - common for both parents to work full time so children are looked after by grandparents or child-minders - primary socialisation down to multiple people
Children's rights - The Children Act (1989) gave children legal rights e.g. choosing home after parental divorce and safeguarding in schools. Police and Criminal Evidence Act gave children the right to speak in court.
Children more likely to work part time to afford modern technology. Parents more protective over children going out - 'stranger danger'.
Divorce - 1/3 marriages end in divorce. Reconstituted families more common and joint care. Other possibility are care (if divorce violent) or grandparent takes care role.
Children's employments and education - no more dangerous jobs (Victorian times 1800's), some (mainly richer) children entitled to some education (1900's), welfare state after 2nd WW - all children 4-16 must go to school (except travellers and home-schooled). This means children are dependant on families until at least 16.
Parents employment - common for both parents to work full time so children are looked after by grandparents or child-minders - primary socialisation down to multiple people
Children's rights - The Children Act (1989) gave children legal rights e.g. choosing home after parental divorce and safeguarding in schools. Police and Criminal Evidence Act gave children the right to speak in court.
Children more likely to work part time to afford modern technology. Parents more protective over children going out - 'stranger danger'.
Divorce - 1/3 marriages end in divorce. Reconstituted families more common and joint care. Other possibility are care (if divorce violent) or grandparent takes care role.