Using material from Item A and elsewhere, assess sociological explanations of the nature and extent of family diversity today (24 marks)

Eversley and Bonnerjea (E and B) identified six types of regional diversity. The 'sunbelt' - the affluent south with higher class two parent families. The 'geriatric wards' - coastal areas with retired couples. The old declining industrial areas of the north- traditional extended family structures. The inner city- single parent families and ethnic minorities. The newly declining industrial areas of the Midlands- dominated by diverse structures. Rural areas- typified by extended families.

The New Right are not happy with the increase in family diversity seen above as they believe there is only one correct family which is the patriarchal nuclear family with a clear cut division of labour between instrumental (males) and expressive (females) roles. They see this family as natural and based on fundamental biological differences. The New Right argue that the increase in family diversity is the cause of lots of social problems such as higher crime rates and educational failure. They argue that family breakdown ( where the family is no longer a patriarchal nuclear family) increases the risks to children. According to Amato (2000) children in these families face higher risks of poverty, educational failure, crime and health problems as well as increased risk of family breakdown when they become an adult themselves.

Postmodernists believe that family structures are fragmented and individuals have much more choice in their lifestyles, personal relationships and family arrangements however we live in a risk society where making choices involves calculating the rewards and risks of the different courses and actions. They believe that family diversity gives individuals greater freedom to plot their own life course- to choose the kind of family and personal relationships that meet their needs. This means that couples are free to define their relationship themselves rather than simply carrying out the roles that have been defined in advance by the law or tradition. The believe that individuals are free to leave the family at any time if their needs are not met however they agree with the New Right that this makes the family less stable. Giddens argues that recently family and marriage have been transformed by greater choice and a more equal relationship between men and women. Couples will now stay together because of love, happiness or sexual attraction rather than because of tradition, a sense of duty or for the children's sake. This is the 'pure relationship'.

Feminists reject the New Right view that only the nuclear family is a 'proper' family. They are in favour of family diversity as it enables women to liberate themselves from the oppression of the traditional patriarchal family. On the other hand functionalists believe that the nuclear family has a function to play in our society. They believe that the family has broken down and a return to traditional family values is needed in order to prevent social disintegration. They, like the New Rights, also believe in having a clear cut division of labour with the instrumental bread-winner husband and the expressive home-maker wife.

Robert Chester agrees that there has been an increase in family diversity over recent decades however he does not think that this is important. He argues that the only important change is from the predominance of the conventional nuclear family to what he calls the 'neo-conventional family' (a dual earner family in which both spouses go out to work). Chester argues that most people are not choosing to live in alternatives to the nuclear family on a long term scale and the nuclear family is still an ideal which most people aim for.