Diversity And Social Change: The Debate About The Extent Of Family Diversity And The Dominance Of The Nuclear Family. (Copy)
Functionalism (Talcott Parsons)
Core Idea
- The nuclear family remains dominant and continues to be the most important family type
Application to the Debate
- Extent of Family Diversity
- Acknowledges some diversity but sees it as limited
- Dominance of Nuclear Family
- Still the most common and functional form
- Best suited to meet needs of industrial society
- Explanation
- Provides stability, socialisation and emotional support
- Application
- Family diversity exists, but nuclear family remains central and dominant
Written and Compiled By Sir Hunain Zia, World Record Holder With 154 Total A Grades, 7 Distinctions and 11 World Records For Educate A Change AS Level Sociology Full Scale Course
New Right (Charles Murray)
Core Idea
- Nuclear family should be dominant, and diversity is a negative development
Application to the Debate
- Extent of Family Diversity
- Seen as exaggerated and problematic
- Dominance of Nuclear Family
- Ideal family structure for social stability
- Criticism of Diversity
- Lone-parent and alternative families lead to social problems
- Weak socialisation, increased crime and dependency
- Application
- Nuclear family dominance is necessary for order and stability
Written and Compiled By Sir Hunain Zia, World Record Holder With 154 Total A Grades, 7 Distinctions and 11 World Records For Educate A Change AS Level Sociology Full Scale Course
Marxism (Karl Marx)
Core Idea
- Nuclear family remains dominant because it supports capitalism
Application to the Debate
- Extent of Family Diversity
- Exists but shaped by economic conditions
- Dominance of Nuclear Family
- Maintains inheritance and property relations
- Supports reproduction of labour
- Explanation
- Capitalism benefits from stable nuclear families
- Application
- Nuclear family dominance reflects economic interests rather than social necessity
Written and Compiled By Sir Hunain Zia, World Record Holder With 154 Total A Grades, 7 Distinctions and 11 World Records For Educate A Change AS Level Sociology Full Scale Course
Feminism (Ann Oakley)
Core Idea
- Challenges dominance of nuclear family due to patriarchal nature
Application to the Debate
- Extent of Family Diversity
- Increasing diversity due to women’s independence
- Dominance of Nuclear Family
- Declining as women reject traditional roles
- Explanation
- Rise of lone-parent, cohabiting and same-sex families
- Application
- Diversity reflects decline of patriarchy and increased equality
Written and Compiled By Sir Hunain Zia, World Record Holder With 154 Total A Grades, 7 Distinctions and 11 World Records For Educate A Change AS Level Sociology Full Scale Course
Postmodernism (Judith Stacey, Anthony Giddens)
Core Idea
- Family life is characterised by diversity and choice, not dominance of one type
Application to the Debate
- Extent of Family Diversity
- Very high → wide range of family forms
- Dominance of Nuclear Family
- No longer dominant
- Explanation
- Individualisation → people choose relationships based on preference
- “Pure relationships” based on satisfaction
- Application
- Family diversity reflects modern society’s flexibility and freedom
Written and Compiled By Sir Hunain Zia, World Record Holder With 154 Total A Grades, 7 Distinctions and 11 World Records For Educate A Change AS Level Sociology Full Scale Course
Rapoports’ View (Rapoports)
Core Idea
- Family diversity has increased significantly
Application to the Debate
- Identified different types of diversity:
- Organisational
- Cultural
- Class
- Life-course
- Cohort
- Conclusion
- No single dominant family type exists
- Application
- Supports view that diversity has replaced dominance of nuclear family
Written and Compiled By Sir Hunain Zia, World Record Holder With 154 Total A Grades, 7 Distinctions and 11 World Records For Educate A Change AS Level Sociology Full Scale Course
Key Synoptic Application
- Functionalists & New Right → nuclear family remains dominant
- Marxists → dominance linked to capitalism
- Feminists → decline due to gender equality
- Postmodernists → diversity dominant, not nuclear family
- Rapoports → strong evidence of increasing diversity