Theories of the family
MURDOCK
- Family is universal institution and performs major func
- Sexual
- sexual relations only take place in socially approved context
- regulates sexual relationships
- Reproduction
- gives stabilisation for reprod and rearing of children
- Socialisation
- Economic
- provide shelter and safety for members
PARSONS
TWO VITAL FUNCTIONS
- Primary socialisation
- children taught values and beliefs ready for society
- Stabilisation of adult personality
- family gives individual place where he or she can relax, escape stress and feel emotionally secure etc.
CRITICISMS OF FUNCTIONALISM
- marx and fem criticised 'rose-tinted' consensus view that family meets needs of wider society
- theory rejects abuse and exploitations
- Parson's theory too determinists - ignored fact that children could resist values being taught to them
PARSONS THEORY OF FIT
- argues dominant structure of family best suit needs of economy
- Nuclear families fit in industrial economy because they are geographically mobile and not reliant on ext kin
- only nuclear could provide achievement orientated an geographically mobile workforce required by modern economies
TAMARA HAREVEN - extend family was best equipped to meet needs of industrial society
OVERALL EVALUATION OF FUNCTIONALISM
- analyses tend to be based on middle class and American versions of family - neglect ethnicity, social class and religion
- Parsons wrote in 1950s - uk has since become multi-cultural
- Ignore dark sides of family
- interpretivists argue they ignore what family means for individuals
MARXIST: EAGLES
- need for monogamy arose and family was created with rise of private property - inheritance system
- family serves economy and exploits women
EVALUATION
- historically inaccurate and unlikely nuclear fam emerged from private property
- Parsons rejects an says family socialises and stabilises
MARXIST: ZARETSKY
- Family serves capitalism by offering emotional security for oppressive work
- WC man king of his own castle
- women as housewife - workers cared for
MARXIST: ALTHUSSER
- Serving functions of ideological state apparatus by socialising pro-capitalist ideology - gender roles, heterosexual marriage, division of labour etc.
- FEMINIST argue that they ignores that family ideology supports patriarchy
EVALUATION OF MARXIST
- many reject view of capitalism being unjust
- emphais in social class and capitalism undermines importance of gender inequalities
- func argue that marx ignore benefits the family has for its members
- interpretivists - marx neglect meaning family has for individuals - motherhood may be fulfilling for some women
RADICAL FEMINISTS
- KATE MILLET - modern societies and families characterised by patriarchy - system of subordination and domination
- family is route of all women's oppression
- family socialises children into trad role
- Sexual division of labour in families exploit women - domestic labour and childcare is unpaid increasing dependence on men
- DELPHY AND LEONARD - family as patriarchal institution women do most work and men get most benefit
- Support family diversity esp single parent and gay and supportive of divorce
- 'radical separatism' - men and women should live apart "political lesbianism" heterosexual relationships are like sleeping with enemy
EVALUATION OF RADICAL FEMINISTS
- some would argue ideas are fated - fails to consider recent trends e.g. feminisation of workforce etc
- JENNY SOMMERVILLE - separatism unlikely to work because of hetero attraction
- HAKIM argues women may choose domestic roles
- FUNCTIONALIST argue they ignore real benefits that family provides for its members
LIBERAL FEMINISTS
- have optimistic view on family
- focus on increased equality
- emergence of 'new man' who takes on active role and is in touch with 'feminine side'
- believe we are moving towards greater equality
- roles being shared more
- criticised by radical fem - fail to challenge underlying causes of women's oppression and for believing that changes in laws or attitudes will be enough to bring equality
OVERALL EVALUATION OF FEMINISTS
- fail to account for recent economic and social changes - feminisation of economy, education and success of females etc
- tend to ignore positive aspects of family life - ignore possibility women may enjoy being housewife
- tend to assume families are manipulated in some way - POSTMODERNIST argue they ignore we may have choice in creating family
- INTERPRITIVISTS - neglect meaning families have for individuals
- different feminists criticise feminists for assuming all women share same experiences e.g. black feminists
- NEW RIGHT argue children are suffering from women working
NEW RIGHT
- conservative commentators
- most influential in UK in 1980s Thatcher Era
- Believe children need mother and father for adequate socialisation
- argue single-parent families cost too much in welfare benefits
- men should be breadwinners, women homemakers - against cohabitation and divorce
- believe there was a 'golden age'
- 1960s and early 1970s beginning of sustained attack on trad family
- FAMILIAL IDEOLOGY - set of ideas about what constitutes an 'ideal family' preferred model trad. family
CHARLES MURRAY (NEW RIGHT)
- wrote about emergence of underclass increasing in UK
- New Rabble - long-term unemployed, danger to society, children aren't socialised properly
- NEW VICTORIANS: responsible middle class who marry, socialise children properly, pay taxes etc.
Theories of the family
EVALUATION OF NEW RIGHT
- group all single parent families together and criticise them - don't acknowledge some nuclear families that fail to socialize children properly
- feminists argue New Right have sexist views on women and family can no longer survive on single male wage
- if welfare benefits were cut the children would suffer