Neo-conventional families Social class & family diversity
Regional & family diversity
The decline of the nuclear family
Chester (1985) argues that nuclear family is WC – segregated conjugal
Eversley & Boonerjea (1982)
Rapoport & Rapoport (1982) brought still overwhelmingly dominant, he refers to roles, closer kinship network &
identified distinct family types in
attention to steady decline of modern nuclear family as neo-conventional, patriarchal family
different regional areas of Britain.
traditional nuclear family & idea of made up of 2 parents & small no. of children. arrangements
E.g. older people in coastal areas &
family diversity. Identified 5 elements Main changes is economically active role of
MC – symmetrical than immigrants, single-parent families &
of family diversity in Britain: wife
patriarchal, more likely to have poor families in inner cities
- Organisational diversity The view that the nuclear family is no longer help with domestic
- Cultural diversity the norm has been disputed by other arrangements e.g. cleaner
- Social class diversity sociologists. Somerville (2000) argues these Extended family & family diversity
- Life stage diversity Reay et al (2004) argue MC
changes are exaggerated. The apparent
- Cohort diversity women invest more emotional There has been a shift to smaller
diversity of family life is based on a snapshot
time in child’s education than isolated nuclear family with less
at any one time and, if a life-cycle approach is
WC. MC more likely to employ face-to-face contact with relatives.
taken, many people have a fairly conventional
nannies for their children, WC Keep in touch by phone, internet
experience of family
Ethnicity & family diversity use family & friends or emails. The nature of extended
Ethnic groups with different cultural family has changed rather than the
backgrounds have contributed to concept has disappeared
proliferation of family forms that differ Family diversity (Part 1)
significantly from those of the indigenous
majority. These will often differ in size, Modernism & family diversity
type & views on marriage & divorce Afro-Caribbean families
Giddens argues that we live in an era of late modernity which is a
Tariq Modood et al world full of choices. The rise in diversity is due to the increase in
(1997) found that in choices in a modern world. Individuals & families are now more
Asian families last 40 years, has able to exercise choice & make personal decisions as to domestic &
been substantial family arrangements than previously
Tend to have more children & usually increase in lone
multi-generational households parenthood from Postmodernism & family diversity
Are patriarchal in nature, with families with Afro-
conjugal roles being segregated Caribbean origins Some sociologists argue we live in an era not of
Westwood & Bhachu (1988) suggest As a consequence, modernity but postmodernity. As society is changing so
that men & women in Asian ethnic have lower marriage fast, family life has become uncertain, most people feel
groups are moving away from rate & higher divorce they do not have to get married before having sex, &
extended families & towards a more rate being a parent outside marriage is increasingly accepted
nuclear family as a legitimate option. Is no ‘best’ family type & ->
makes no sense to ask what type of family is dominant in
society
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