Summary
Summary Reasons for Family Diversity
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Reasons for Family Diversity - Commercialisation, Ambition, Medicalisation, Welfare Legislation, Individualisation, Family Legislation, Secularisation
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C ommercialisation- Post Modernists
Post Modernists argue that a changing society is allowing diversity to expand and different family types to emerge.
EVIDENCE: Silva says that 1.) Technology has changed to fit social need 2.) Labour Saving Devices like the microwave
mean mothers spend less time on domestic tasks and more time on their family
3.) Phones allow for the family to stay connected, so there’s no need to live together (explains reduced extended f.)
A
The impact of feminism has meant that women don’t rely on men for financial security and are therefore less inclined to opt for a NF life.
EVIDENCE: Sharpe did two studies, one in 1976 & the other in 1994, which compared the changing priorities of women. In ‘76 priorities we
mbition children etc but by ’94, career and education were given more attention.
Wilkinson – called this change in attitudes a ‘genderquake’ within which women were shaking off these gender norms
- Liberal Feminists ONS 2013 – today there are 70% of women aged 16-64 in employment, a 24% rise from the 1970s.
M edicalisation
Medical Advances like IVF, surrogacy, doners etc have allowed for NON- nuclear families to have biological children which Feminists wo
Advances have also allowed generations to live longer which means there’s an increasing life expectancy and up to 3/4 generations can
household Functionalists would like because it leads to efficient socialisation
- Feminism/ Functionalism EVIDENCE: Joseph Rowntree Foundation – number of people aged 85+ will DOUBLE in the next 20 years & TRIPLE in the next 30.
The NHS wont be able to cope with care needs, meaning the family will need to provide it rise in beanpole & sandwich families
W elfare Legislation
- New Right Realists
According to NRR like Murray, an over-generous welfare system has led to greater family diversity.
This supposedly allows women to have kids outside the NF because they don’t NEED the financial stability of a marriage Rise in Undercla
EVIDENCE: Housing & Child Benefit – child one is £84.20/month and such benefits encourage women to leave unhappy relationships or
kids on their own because they know they have the support of the state
I
This has led to a decline of the traditional NF and a rise of alternatives which Murray and other NRR think is damaging.
Post Modernists state that people are less governed by traditions & norms/values but instead are more driven to live in a way that benefits th
ndividualisation needs. This change in attitudes has resulted in structural changes in family life.
EVIDENCE: Beck – There’s an overall greater acceptance of choice EG women aren’t seen as “spinsters” if they choose not to marry nowadays
- Post Modernists Relationships are increasingly negotiated so that peoples needs can actually be met.
F amily Legislation
- Feminism
Legal changes have led to an increase in family diversity in lots of ways.
EVIDENCE: Divorce Reform Act (1969) partner didn’t have to be guilty of a matrimonial offence, you could just state “irretrievable breakdown
Same Sex Marriage Act (2013) In England & Wales homosexual couples could marry, and this Act was an update to the ‘Civil Partnership Act o
Abortion Act (1967) could legally terminate a therefore women weren’t forced to be part of a NF
S ecularisation
- Functionalism
Secularisation is a decline in religious belief/influence. The argument is that the church has lost its power and we’re now more
accepting of liberal ideas & alternative family structures EG Singlehood or Co-habitation Loss of Stigmatisation
EVIDENCE: Wilson (1996) – the belief that people should stay married became irrelevant & it is no longer sinful to live outside of th
NF or have children outside of marriage which would’ve brough social stigma to a family name at one time.
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