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AQA Families and Households speci point 1 REVISION SUMMARY: The relationship of the family to the social structure and social change, with particular reference to the economy and to state policies.£7.66
AQA Families and Households speci point 1 REVISION SUMMARY: The relationship of the family to the social structure and social change, with particular reference to the economy and to state policies.
I got an A* using this. To be used as a supplement to notes, textbooks etc. Note it covers the first point in depth which are highly applicable to the other families content and many exam questions.
Families and Households spec point 1 summary: The relationship of the family to the social structure and social change, with
particular reference to the economy and to state policies.
Functionalists:
• The family institution is necessary for society’s function otherwise it would disappear.
• Parsons – organic analogy – institutions work together like organs in the body to uphold society.
• Parsons – men instrumental role (DIY) and women expressive (emotion) role.
• Murdoch – 4 functions of family: primary socialisation, economic security, reproduction, teach sex and gender roles.
Advocated nuclear family (Murdoch 1949) heterosexual, married, children.
Marxists:
• Althusser – family is an ideological state apparatus – promotes capitalism via controlling people’s beliefs, i.e. via primary
socialisation into hierarchical values – obey parents.
• Zaretsky – ideological functions – family serves the ideological function of consumption: parents under pressure of
‘pester power’, ‘keeping up with the Joneses’ and stigmatism at school to buy latest products, clothes etc.
Feminists:
• The family institution is one factor that reproduces and legitimises women’s oppression.
• Liberal Feminists – women’s position in the family is slowly improving, with shared economic and domestic roles.
• Marxist Feminists – use Engels’ theory of inheritance of private property – men traditionally inherit property keeping
women economically dependent on men, ‘glorified prostitutes’ who exchange heirs and comfort in return for economic
stability.
• Cushioning effect of absorbing men’s anger after alienating work.
• Fran Ansley – women are the ‘takers of shit’ – men’s anger/violence.
• Radical Feminists – advocate total separation of men and women – Germaine Greer calls for ‘matrilocal households’ for
women to share.
• Divorce-extended families in California where women related to each other through shared experience of divorce.
Postmodernists:
• Family structure is constantly changing and evolving in the postmodern world, due to factors such as media which give
and promote individual choice.
• Individualisation thesis that suggests people are making more choices about families tailored to their specific needs and
values.
• Chester – neo-conventional nuclear family characterised by 50/50 work and chores, father has a more expressive role
and mother more involved in technical work and moneymaking.
New Right:
• Similar to Functionalist but go further by advocating the nuclear family, OTHERWISE society will essentially fail.
• Emphasise economic independence from the state, rejecting the welfare state.
• Charles Murray – lone-parent families mostly headed by women, rely on benefits for economic security = no male role
model for hard work/high-earning jobs = working-class who make up the ‘underclass’ with traits such as unemployment
and deviancy, or membership of gangs, and violence.
Social policies
1948 Welfare State est. – more access to benefits, NHS = higher living standards and lifespan.
1961 Legalisation of the Contraceptive Pill = gave women more control over childbearing and family size
1969-71 Divorce Law Reform Act – reduced the time needed to get a divorce, led to increase in step-families, lone-parent families.
1989 Children Act – to ensure protection of children from harm and abuse, more social workers.
1991 – Marital Rape Act = protect women from rape within marriage, speak up w out shame.
1993 – Child Support Agency = ensure both parents contribute to child welfare – more money, higher living standards.
2004-2014 Civil Partnerships and Homosexuality Legislation Act = legally form CPs and marry, increased population of married
gay/lesbian couples and families.
2011 Additional Paternity Pay = more fathers take paternity/spend time with kids.
Social Policies in Other Countries
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