Module Title: Families and Households: Diversity and Change
Module Code: SOC-20041
Evaluate the claim that marriage and family is detraditionalised.
(1997/2000 words)
Received a first, 75/100
The term family generally conjures an image of biological relatedness combined with degrees
of co-residence (Smart, 2014). However, today this term is more flexible and fluid going
beyond the traditional image of family (Giddens, 1992; Bauman, 2013; Beck and Beck-
Gernsheim, 2002). Furthermore, the institution of marriage has also been affected, which has
been shown to be delayed or replaced by substitutes (Beajouan et al, 2011). The rise of
individualism has also contributed to changing social norms and values around family and
marriage making it detraditionalized. This essay will discuss multiple aspects of how family
and marriage have become detraditionalised. Firstly, by discussing the meaning of family and
marriage in the past and comparing it to how and what family and marriage are today. I will
then proceed to examine various dimensions including the trend toward individualization, the
postponement of marriage, the expansion of the stepfamily structures, and the diminishing
rate of marriage in China. Additionally, I will explore the increase in divorce rates, the
emergence of alternatives to traditional marriage, and the dynamics of transnational families
and artificial reproductive technologies. The essay will then conclude on how family and
marriage have become detraditionalised.
The rise of individualisation can be argued to contribute to the detraditionalization of both
marriage and family. The term individualisation refers to ‘the disintegration of previously
existing social forms’ (Beck and Beck-Gernsheim, 2002: 27). Beck and Beck-Gernsheim’s
(2002) individualisation theory argues that there is a shift from pre-defined, traditional
guidelines to an era where individuals experience increased burden in the context of
marriage. As marriage and family evolves from a socially binding institution to a product and
construct of the individuals involved. Individualisation theory argues that today we have
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, Module Title: Families and Households: Diversity and Change
Module Code: SOC-20041
‘precarious freedom’, which means the erosion of traditional social structures and the rise of
individual decision-making (ibid, 2002). Therefore, individualisation significantly impacts
marriage as it transformed a socially binding institution to a product and construct of the
individuals involved. Individualisation also impacts the detraditionalization of family, as it
changes the pre-written gender roles within a family (Chambers and Gracia, 2021).
The postponement of marriage also contributes to the detraditionalization of the marriage
institution. The deinstitutionalisation theory argues that the institution of marriage is
declining due the ‘weakening of social norms’ surrounding marriage (Cherlin, 2004:848).
This also links in with individualisation theory, as deinstitutionalisation theory argues the
move from institutional marriage to companionate marriage (Cherlin, 2004). Companionate
marriage is the transition to individualised marriage. According to Cherlin (2004)
individualised marriage refers to a marriage that is based on affection, personal choice, and
happiness (Cherlin, 2004). Thus, it can be argued that marriage is detraditionalised not only
due to the weakening of social norms but also due to individualisation in the context of
marriage. The postponement of marriage contributes significantly to the detraditionalization
of the family by challenging traditional timelines and expectations associated with marriage.
Cohabitation instead of marriage can be argued to contribute to the postponement of
marriage. There has been a rapid rise in couples cohabitating, of which only 60% of couples
who cohabitate end up getting married (Bumpass, 1989). Furthermore, evidence also suggests
that cohabitating couples aged 16-29 make up 69% of couples cohabitating. Whereas only
4% of those aged 70 years and over living in a couple were cohabiting (Sharfman, 2019). In
addition, cohabitation also impacts the traditional meaning of family as there is no
formalisation of the relationship between couples. These results could be due to the changing
nature and values of marriage and family. As well as the overall changing social attitudes
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