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
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
