Sociologist Theory/ Topic Key findings
Fletcher Functionalist The government acts in the interests of all in society, social policies are for the good of all. Policy helps families perform their
(1966) view of social functions better and make family life better. The introduction of health, education and housing policies in the years since the
policy industrial revolution has gradually led to the development of a welfare state that supports the family in performing its functions
more effectively e.g. NHS means that the family is able to care for sick better.
BUT (1) Feminists- not all members of the family equally benefit from social policies, (2) Marxists- they assume a ‘March of
Progress’ exists when in reality policies can sometimes reverse progress made e.g. welfare benefits can be cut
Foucault Policing the Sees power not just as something held by the government or state, but as diffused throughout society and found within all
(1976) family relationships. Professionals such as doctors and social workers exercise power over their clients by using their expert knowledge to
turn them into ‘cases’ to be dealt with.
Donzelot Policing the Conflict view of society, policy is a form of state control and power over families. Social workers, health visitors and doctors use
(1977) family their knowledge to control and change families- ‘policing of families’. Poor families are more likely to be seen as ‘problem’
families and as the cause of crime and anti-social behaviour. Therefore, these are the families targeted for ‘improvement’. BUT
fails to identify who benefits from this Marxists (capitalists), Feminists (men)
*link to Marxism/Althusser- professionals as part of the ideological state apparatus to reinforce capitalist ideology that the
working class are to blame for their position in society and need state intervention to raise families effectively.
Condry Surveillance State may seek to control and regulate family life by imposing compulsory parenting orders through the courts. Parents of young
(2007) offenders, truants or badly behaved children may be forced to attend parenting classes to ‘correct’ the way they parent their
children. This takes the focus of wider problems in society such as economic inequality.
Almond The New Right, 1. Divorce laws undermine marriage
(2006) policies 2. Civil partnerships undermine heterosexual domestic set-ups.
undermining 3. Tax laws discriminate against the conventional families with a male breadwinner, compared to dual-earner families.
the nuclear 4. Increased rights for cohabitating couples demonstrate that the state doesn’t value marriage.
family
Murray New Right, Polices that reward irresponsible and anti-social behaviour and create a dependency culture whereby generations are socialised
(1984; perverse into expectations that the state will provide them with benefits e.g. council housing- encourages teenage unmarried girls to get
1990) incentives pregnant and lone parent families are encouraged by generous benefits, which are in turn negative as boys lacks a male role
model and then become delinquents.
Fletcher Functionalist The government acts in the interests of all in society, social policies are for the good of all. Policy helps families perform their
(1966) view of social functions better and make family life better. The introduction of health, education and housing policies in the years since the
policy industrial revolution has gradually led to the development of a welfare state that supports the family in performing its functions
more effectively e.g. NHS means that the family is able to care for sick better.
BUT (1) Feminists- not all members of the family equally benefit from social policies, (2) Marxists- they assume a ‘March of
Progress’ exists when in reality policies can sometimes reverse progress made e.g. welfare benefits can be cut
Foucault Policing the Sees power not just as something held by the government or state, but as diffused throughout society and found within all
(1976) family relationships. Professionals such as doctors and social workers exercise power over their clients by using their expert knowledge to
turn them into ‘cases’ to be dealt with.
Donzelot Policing the Conflict view of society, policy is a form of state control and power over families. Social workers, health visitors and doctors use
(1977) family their knowledge to control and change families- ‘policing of families’. Poor families are more likely to be seen as ‘problem’
families and as the cause of crime and anti-social behaviour. Therefore, these are the families targeted for ‘improvement’. BUT
fails to identify who benefits from this Marxists (capitalists), Feminists (men)
*link to Marxism/Althusser- professionals as part of the ideological state apparatus to reinforce capitalist ideology that the
working class are to blame for their position in society and need state intervention to raise families effectively.
Condry Surveillance State may seek to control and regulate family life by imposing compulsory parenting orders through the courts. Parents of young
(2007) offenders, truants or badly behaved children may be forced to attend parenting classes to ‘correct’ the way they parent their
children. This takes the focus of wider problems in society such as economic inequality.
Almond The New Right, 1. Divorce laws undermine marriage
(2006) policies 2. Civil partnerships undermine heterosexual domestic set-ups.
undermining 3. Tax laws discriminate against the conventional families with a male breadwinner, compared to dual-earner families.
the nuclear 4. Increased rights for cohabitating couples demonstrate that the state doesn’t value marriage.
family
Murray New Right, Polices that reward irresponsible and anti-social behaviour and create a dependency culture whereby generations are socialised
(1984; perverse into expectations that the state will provide them with benefits e.g. council housing- encourages teenage unmarried girls to get
1990) incentives pregnant and lone parent families are encouraged by generous benefits, which are in turn negative as boys lacks a male role
model and then become delinquents.
