46893
Sociological
Perspectives
- Traditional
Marxists
perspective
on the family
- Structural perspective
on the family
- Do not regard nuclear family as
functionally necessary
- Family
contributes to
the maintenance
of society's
structure
- Do not regard nuclear family as
functionally necessary
- The nuclear family is
concerned with
teaching its members
to submit to the
capitalist class
- Emphasises the way
the family reproduces
unequal relationships
- Engles (1820-1895)
- Monogamous nuclear
family developed as a
means of passing on
private property to heirs
- Women's position in this
family wasn't much different
from that of a prostitute
- Provided sex and
heirs in return for
the economic
security that her
husband offered
- Provided sex and
heirs in return for
the economic
security that her
husband offered
- Monogamous nuclear
family developed as a
means of passing on
private property to heirs
- Althusser(1971)
- In order for capitalism to
survive the working class
must submit to the ruling
class (bourgeoisie)
- Family is one of the main
means (and education
system) of passing on
ideology (ideas and beliefs)
- In order for capitalism to
survive the working class
must submit to the ruling
class (bourgeoisie)
- Criticisms
- A bit old fashioned
- Women now work
and have
independent incomes
- In some cases they
are more successful
than men
- Women less likely
to marry for
economic security
- In some cases they
are more successful
than men
- People are now more
likely to marry for love
and affection rather
than a social obligation
- A bit old fashioned
- Structural perspective
on the family
- Functionalist
perspective
on the family
- See the family
as a vital 'organ'
in maintaining
body of society
- Such as like the heart
is important to maintain
a human body
- Different parts of
family work
together to
maintain society
- Such as like the heart
is important to maintain
a human body
- Murdock believes
there are 4 main
functions of the family
- Sexual
- Express sexuality
in socially
approved way
- Including disapproval to incest, adultery etc
- Including disapproval to incest, adultery etc
- Express sexuality
in socially
approved way
- Reproduction
- Family provide
some stability
for the
reproduction and
rearing of
children
- Family provide
some stability
for the
reproduction and
rearing of
children
- Socialization
- Family's important
unit of primary
socialization
- Children learn
socially acceptable
behaviour and culture
of their society
- Children learn
socially acceptable
behaviour and culture
of their society
- Helps to build the
shared ideas and beliefs
(value consensus)
- Functionalists believe
important to maintain a
stable society
- Functionalists believe
important to maintain a
stable society
- Family's important
unit of primary
socialization
- Economic
- Family provides
food and shelter for
family members
- Family provides
food and shelter for
family members
- Sexual
- Parsons (1951)
- Examined family
life in the 1950's
- Argued there are 2 basic
functions of the family
- Primary socialization
of children
- Learning and
internalization of
society's culture
- Eg the language, history and
values of society
- Eg the language, history and
values of society
- Believes socialization
is so powerful so
becomes part of
individuals personality
- Argues only the family
can provide emotional
warmth and security
- Learning and
internalization of
society's culture
- Stabilization
of human
personalities
- Family helps to
stabllize personalities
by the sexual division
of labour
- Women
have
expressive
role
(providing
warmth,
security
and
emotional
support)
- Male has instrumental role (family breadwinner, leads to stress and anxiety)
- Family helps to
stabllize personalities
by the sexual division
of labour
- Primary socialization
of children
- Examined family
life in the 1950's
- See the family
as a vital 'organ'
in maintaining
body of society
- Feminists
- Marxist Feminist
- The social reproduction of labour power
- The family provides a place where children can be born and raised with a sense of security
- The ruling class is supplied with a readily available
and passive labour force for its factories and offices
- Family achieves this in 3 ways
- Providing a place for eating, drinking
and relaxing, helping to ensure that
members of the workforce are able to
go to work each day
- Producing and
maintaining labour
which is free of
cost to capitalists
- Socializing
children into the
dominant ideas
in society
- Providing a place for eating, drinking
and relaxing, helping to ensure that
members of the workforce are able to
go to work each day
- Family achieves this in 3 ways
- The family provides a place where children can be born and raised with a sense of security
- Family is a social
institution responsible
for reproduction
responsible for the
reproduction of labour
power for capitalism
- The social reproduction of labour power
- Radical Feminist
- See patriarchy as main
obstacle to women's freedom
- System of male power and dominance
- System of male power and dominance
- Attack the notion of
the symmetrical
family put forward
by Young and
Willmott
- Women more likely to be the victims of domestic violence
- Women more likely to be the victims of domestic violence
- Family is a social
institution responsible for
the reproduction of unequal
roles for women and men
- Socializes children into traditional gender roles
- Men are 'breadwinners'
- Women have the responsibility for housework and childcare
- Men are 'breadwinners'
- Family is an oppressive
institution that only benefits men
- Oppresses and exploits women
- There is a 'dark side'
to family life that
includes violence
and abuse against
women and children
- Oppresses and exploits women
- See patriarchy as main
obstacle to women's freedom
- Marxist Feminist
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