For anyone studying Families and Households in Sociology at A or AS Level, this document provides a thorough companion to your classes and textbook. Lesson 7/8 focuses on Divorce and Life Course Analysis: views, reasons, case studies and evaluations, as well as all key terms and sociologists specif...
Key Terms:
Chandler (2005):
Stigma- a negative label, social
disapproval or shame attached to a - Found that approximately 40% of marriages will end in
person, action or relationship. divorce.
Secularisation- the decline in the - 7 out of 10 applications for divorce now come from
influence of religion in society. women.
Sociologists:
Chandler Reasons for divorce:
- Legal changes (e.g. 1969 Divorce Reform Act).
- Less stigma.
- Increased secularisation.
- Higher expectations of marriage.
- Women’s independence (financial, work).
1950s Marriage:
Some people had little choice over who they married.
Marriages were often based around economic factors.
Romance was a bonus, not an expectation.
Feminist Explanations:
Women working a dual burden or triple shift can increase the conflict between couples and lead to divorce.
Marriage is patriarchal and men benefit from the woman working so much.
Modernity and Individualisation:
With less influence from traditional norms, each individual becomes free to pursue his or her own self-
interest = individualisation thesis.
People’s expectations for relationships have increased, leading to more couples wanting what is called a
‘pure relationship’.
Summary
Divorce has increased significantly in the past fifty years, and is mainly instigated by women. Reasons
for the increase include less stigma, women’s independence, and legal changes, making marriage and the
prospect of divorce very different from marriage in the 1950s. Feminists argue that changes for women
can cause disapproval from men, and other theories suggests that increased individualisation has led to
less pressure to remain in an unhappy marriage.
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