Examine some of the reasons for the diversity of families and households in Britain today

Liam Hindle October 2003

Sociology

Families and Households

Examine some of the reasons for the diversity of families and households in Britain today. (20 marks)

Family is changing and has always being changing. Since world war two the amount of diverse families has grown over time. As early as the 1950’s the family has rapidly changed, some say for the better and other say for the worse but undoubtedly we can identify differences between now and recent years, like things such as immigration and values. Other issues such as the invention the pill, (birth control), allowing both men and women to file for divorce without having to prove adultery, (which was needed to be done before), and religion also not playing such an important part in peoples lives meant that changes in the family structure became more acceptable in society.

Before the time identified being the changing period for diverse families being on the rise, following the norms of society it was “proper” and “right” to be part of a nuclear family. The nuclear families in the early years was a father financially supporting the family and the mother, who had to be married, looking after their children and their home, and this nuclear family provided all the necessary factors needed in life which is how functionalists argued. However, overtime more family structures have developed and become part of society. Reconstituted (when a couple who have been previously married with children come together and get married to form another family), and lone parent families are becoming more common, gay and lesbian families are becoming more acceptable in today’s society and in Asian area’s around Britain, extended families are also growing. Also, people who are unable to have children themselves look to adoption and fostering, which is more available, and this is looked as another family structure in society.

There are a number of factors that have contributed to the increasing diversity of families and households in Britain.

CHOICE

People’s values’ have changed. People are increasingly likely to view their own circumstances in terms of what’s best for them, their rights, instead of following what they where brought up to believe what was the “right” way.

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There are a number of factors that have contributed to the increasing diversity of families and households in Britain.

CHOICE

Giddens (1992), argued that pre-modern couples (pre World War Two) married for economic reasons, modern couples married for romantic reasons and late modern couples co-habit or marry because they “want” to. The only thing that keeps the late modern couples together is the existence of a “good deal”. It is only judged to be worth it. If it was no longer worth then leave it. This is statement could be seen as true because recent figures have shown that divorce rates lately are the highest they have been ever. This is due to the simple procedures of asking for a divorce.

CHANCE

Each of us chooses a route through life. Some routes are ones we select for ourselves and others are ways that are selected for us. A consequence of choice and the pursuit of individual happiness is risk.

Like Giddens, Beck (1995), emphasises choice, but the choice is based on the individuals exercising responsibility for themselves and thinking about what is better for themselves as individuals.

DEMOGRAPHY (LIFE-SPAN)

Increased life span has meant that the population has aged rapidly. This is the sole important reason for the increase in one person households-old people living alone.

TECHNOLOGY

New productive technologies allow new types of families and family relationships. There is now the possibility of surrogate motherhood, and of test tube babies. This now adds to the range of possible family diversity.

IMMIGRATION

Immigration has meant that the cultural life of Britain has been greatly enlarged by the mass immigrations of the 1950s and 60s.

SOCIOL POLICY

It has been argued that the existence of welfare secures the survival of many lone parent families. Without state (government) support many such families could not survive economically.

TYPES OF DIVERSITY –

The Rapport’s (1982) argue that there are five types of diversity in contemporary families. These are:

ORGANISATIONAL DIVERSITY
CULTURAL (ETHINIC)
CLASS
LIFE COURSE
COHORT

Organisational Diversity

This is referring to the different type of family structure, e.g. single parent and reconstituted families.

Diversity of lifestyles also reflects people at different points in their life course. E.g. many people live alone, but for different reasons this may not be permanent for the rest of their life.

Cultural (Ethinic)

Britain is a multi-ethnic society. In the case of South Asian families, both Hindu and Muslim, there is a tendency for the families to be extended and sometimes very traditional. Afro-Caribbean families, like Asian families, tend to reflect the societies from which they migrated. The stereotypical image of the Afro-Caribbean family in Britain is of a single parent household, but perhaps the key point is that Afro-Caribbean families tend to be mother-centred.

R. Oakley (1982) in a study of Cypriot families in Britain, found strong extended family ties. He argued that parents retained strong connections with their married children, very common to the people from Cyprus, but little changed by the migration to Britain.

Class

Inequalities in lifestyle possibilities have increased since the 1980 when Margaret Thatcher was in power, leader of the Conservative Party.

Wealth and income have an obvious impact in terms of type of housing, room size, number of rooms, financial problems, holidays and many other things.

Life Course

The life course of individuals within families can vary greatly. This can reflect choice or circumstance. This covers such factors as the number of children, the spacing of the children, divorce, remarriage, etc.

Cohort

A cohort of individuals refers to those born in the same year (or band of years). Such individuals may well have a shared experience of historical events, for example, the introduction of comprehensive schools, the introduction of the birth control pill.

Over the years, ideas have been argued about more areas, which should be added to the contemporary diverse family ideas.

These are –

REGIONAL
INTERNATIONAL
GAY AND LESBIAN

Regional

Regional differences cause family diversity?

Eversley (1982) argues that there are very distinct regional variations in household type within Britain. The idea argues that there are distinct patterns of household forms in different parts of Britain. For example; they describe the ‘sun belt’ families of the south east as family builders and were 2 parent families (nuclear if with children). Strong kinship family networks were found in rural areas. Inner city areas tend to have more lone parents, and ethnic minority households. The argument also found high levels of elderly in coastal areas.

International

Boh (1989) studied families within Britain and also studied countries around Europe. There were some common trends in Britain, a rise in divorce, co-habitation becoming more common and a decline in birth rates. Boh characterises the diversity she found as being a consequence of the increased choices available to people.

Gay and Lesbian

Weeks (1999) argue that there are more openly gay or lesbians households than there was in the past. This is because of the growth in choice and the relaxation of tradition. Such households, argue Weeks, do see themselves as families.

Another viewpoint is that the family has not changed much and the predominant form of family organisation continues to be the traditional nuclear family.

ARGUMENT ONE

Robert Chester, "The Rise of the Neo-Conventional family, New Society (1985) argues that:

Most adults still marry and have children.

Most children are reared by their natural parents.

Most people live in a household headed by a married couple.

Most marriages continue until parted by death.

Chester argues that no great change in family organisation has occurred. There is, in general, continuity with the past.

ARGUMENT TWO

Silva & Smart (1999) conclude that there are strong continuities in British family life, but that at the same time there was drift towards more varied forms of family organisation, based they argue on more freedom of ‘personal choice’.

CONCLUSION

So in conclusion, although the nuclear family is still around and popular in modern Britain it has been slightly adapted to changes both in society and in the house. As Britain is such a multi-cultural society with different races, religions and sexuality’s there are many more diverse families and with society how it is today most people accept the diverse structures. The families today are mainly typified by diversity.