2, second type of diversity is known as cultural diversity. This is where there are variations in beliefs, practices, behaviour and religion. For example there are different beliefs of families, in Asian families to Western families for example Asian families believe that it is essential to be part of an extended family, whereas the western family might think it is better to be part of a nuclear family, these beliefs may be due to their culture.
3, social class diversity in families. “These are obvious variations resulting from marked differences in the availability of material and social resources”. Bernardes, J (1997) pg 11.this can range from having adequate food to attitudes towards the family for example whether the child should be brought up by the mother or by nannies.
4, Cohart Diversity in Families: families can vary depending on historical periods, for example if a child is born during the war period there experiences would be different to a person that is born in the 19th century, hence this can be a reason why families are changing, due to their experience.
5, Family Life Course Diversity. “This form recognises how life changes dramatically with events in the course of life, for example, having children whether a child is a baby or teenager” Bernardes, J (1997)g12
(H, Holborn (1995) and Bernardes, J (1997)
Rapports (1982) believe that there is important change in British family life. They argue that people are now choosing different types of family life, whereas before there was not much of choice in regards to family life. Rapports state “ families in Britain today are in a transition from coping in a society in which there was a single overriding norm of what family life should be like to a society in which a plurality of norms are recognised as legitimate, indeed desirable” cited by H, Holborn (1995) pg348
The family is a social group characterized by common residence, economic co-operation and reproduction. It includes adults of both sexes, at least two of whom maintain a socially approved sexual relationship, and one or more children, own or adopted, of the sexually cohabiting adults” H,Holborn(1995) pg 317.Hence the family lives together, and at least two of the members conduct a sexual relationship, according to the norms of that particular society. The norm of a family varies from family to family. For example in Barnaro of New Guinea, the husband does not have sexual relations, with his wife until she has borne a child by a friend of his father. Hence this shows the parent-child relationship is not necessarily a biological one. Hence it shows different culture and different society’s portray family in different ways. H,Holborn(1995)
There are different structures of the family; these vary from society to society. Family structure refers to how a group of people that live together as a family. The structure of the family varies from society to society. There are two fundamental family structures and these are the 'nuclear' and 'extended' family. Clark, L (1996).
The smallest and probably the most common unit of family in a western society is known as “the nuclear family”. The nuclear family consist of a husband, and wife and their children. The common image of the nuclear family is 2.4 children. In the nuclear family there is a clear division of responsibilities shared by the family members for example the male is primarily, the fulltime breadwinner, as he goes out and works to provide for the family, whereas the female is the caregiver, who stays at home and carries out the domestic work as well as the upbringing of the children. However this idea was mainly common in the 1960s.
According to (www.thenuclearfamily.net.)The 'nuclear' family is “defined as an adult heterosexual couple and their dependent children”. He states Units bigger than the nuclear family is frequently recognized as the 'extended family'.
Extensions to the nuclear family can either be 'vertical' or 'horizontal'. 'Vertical' extensions are seen as families that include grandparents as well as parents and children .A 'horizontal' extended family is when additional family members of the same generation as the parents live together. An example of this would be two brothers. The traditional view of the nuclear family is changing for example now there are there are three kinds of married nuclear families depending on employment status of the woman and man. In the first kind it is who man goes out to work and the woman who works inside the home taking care of the children. Twenty eight percent of all households fit this description. In the second type of married nuclear family, the woman goes out to work and the man stay at home and cares for the children. Two percent of families in the UK fit into this category. In the third kind of married nuclear family, both the wife and the husband work outside the home or are income providers. In some situations, the woman might have a home-based business, such as a day care center. Most families in the UK fit this description whereas in the 1980s there were a very few women that use to go out and work. As we can see the female role has changed significantly as in the 60s and 70s women were portrayed as staying at home and being a good wife to their husbands and a good mothers to their children. Now there are many women that are out gaining an education and qualification and seeking employment. Feminists portray the male as the most dominant member in the family (patriarchal). The feminist perspective regards the women as the oppression but now attitudes in society has changed and women are given the same opportunities as the male member in society for example more and more women are in employment, getting paid equivalent to men. In recent years feminism has had significant influences on the study of the family than any other approach. The critics have talked about the damaging effects of family life upon women. Clark, L (1996).
Marxist such as Zaretsky and Engels recognised that women are exploiets in marriage and the family life. Marxist femists use the exploitation of women as a key feature of family life. H,Holborn(1995)
The structure and the sizes of a family have transformed the family in the UK. In the early 19th century there was on average six children per family that were dependent on a family. Currently it is as little as two children being dependent on a family. There are many reasons for this transform such as the availability of contraception as well as abortions being legal. Other reasons like children are costly whereas in the past children were seen as an investment, as the chid can help the family earn money. For example a boy would go and help his father at the farm. Other reasons for the change in family sizes could be because the change in women’s role, as the attitudes of women towards work has change, as there are more women that are working to gain a qualification and to obtain a career. H,Holborn(1995)
Changing gender roles within a family is also another factor that has transformed family life. for example in the 1900’s there were only as little as twelve percent of mothers of preschool children that were in employment, then in the 1980’s it rose to forty seven percent, and as the years go past many women are taking on different roles and are going out and working as we can see the number of women going out and educating themselves is on the increase. The statistics show it has risen dramatically, as we can see in 1997 two thirds of the mothers that had young children were in employment.
In the UK the traditional role of a male was “the breadwinner and the provider” and the female’s role was “home maker and carer”. At present these views of males and females have changes as the men are getting involved in caring for children, and women are taking on duties outside the household. Beaver, M et al (2001) pg523.
According too Anthony Giddens(Reith Lectures (1999) thirty years ago “no one spoke of 'relationships'. They didn't need to, nor did they need to speak in terms of intimacy and commitment”. Marriage at that time was about commitment between husband and wife. The wife was seen as the property of her husband. In the nineteenth century the meaning of marriage seemed to have changed. As Giddens believes that “Marriage signifies that a couple is in a stable relationship, and may indeed promote that stability, since it makes a public declaration of commitment. However, marriage is no longer the chief defining basis of coupledom. Anthony Giddens (WEBSITE)
Marriage is also another factor that has transformed the family life in the UK for example in the western society as well as in the Asian culture, it was absolute essential for a girl to get married when they reached an age of maturity. Whereas marriage in the UK is on the decrease and Beaver,M (2001) pg24 states “..By the 21st century could become a minority experience”. Hence this can have an effect on families changing in the UK, as marriage has not remained the norm in society unlike the past. Marriage is a legal contract between two people, a male and female. However in the 19th century it is often we find families that consist of two males or two females, which are known as guy and lesbian families. In the 70s and 80s guy and lesbian families were illegal, but at present it is perfectly acceptable for two females to bring up a child.
“Divorce is something that has become a dramatically more common event in our society. In fact, "our society has the highest divorce rate in the world" (Macionis, 1995). ().
Since the 1970s new divorce legislation came into action. The divorce rate in the UK has changed considerably and is on the rise. Divorced rates in the UK in 1981 were 2.8 per 1,000 population; it rose significantly to 3.1 per 1000 in 1993. Bernardes, J (1997) pg17. It was stated by Beaver, M et al(2001) “if current trends continue, around 40 per cent of marriages being presently formed will end in divorce”(Beaver, M pg525). As the new legislation came into action, it became easier to obtain a divorce. In Britain before the 1857 divorce was not really seen as an option unless in extreme cases as there was a stigma attached to a woman getting a divorce. Divorce was a long process; it required a private act of parliament in order to obtain a divorce. Hence it was an expensive procedure and beyond the means of all but the wealthy people. H, Holborn (1995).
Remarrying has also become much more common as in the UK, over 50 percent of women or men that are divorce are likely to remarry within the five years. Hence this is a transforming factor of family life. For example in the Asian culture it is very unlikely that a marriage would end in divorce unless in extreme cases, but if they do, they believe that the children are best with there mothers. Hence in today’s society it has changed and there is no reason why a child could not be brought up by their father. As the fathers role in society has transformed significantly.
Micheal Young and Peter Willmott conducted studies on family life in London; they talked about the family going through different stages. These stages are:
Stage 1: the pre-industrial family. There view is that that the family is a production of the husband, wife and unmarried children working as a team in agriculture or textiles. This type of family came as a result of the industrial trail revolution. However it is still present but in a small minority of families for example families that are in the farming trade.
Stage 2 the early industrial family: this stage began with the industrial revolution that was developed in the nineteenth century and reached its peak in the early twenty century. In this stage the family was ceased to be a unit production because individual members were in employment and were wage earners. Though out the nineteenth century working class poverty was quiet high, as wages were low and many people were out of employment. Anderson, Young and Willmott argued that the family reacted to the situation by extending the family network, beyond the nuclear family. By the end of this stage many fathers realised the importance of getting involved in the upbringing of their children.
Stage 3: the symmetrical family: this family is characterized by “the separation of the immediate, or nuclear family from the extended family” H, Holborn (1995) Pg 341. In this stage the nuclear family is generally at home, especially when the children are at home and much of there free time is spent doing chores and jobs in the house. Leisure was mainly home based for example watching television at home. The relationship and the bond between the husband and wife are strong and they work together as companions. The man and the women started to share the work in the house. Although they shared some responsibilities the women still had the main responsibility for raising the children. H, Holborn (1995).
On the whole there are many factors that have transformed the family in the UK, for example in different cultures families are portrayed differently for example when my parents were young they lived as part of an extended family. Whereas the new generation is generally part of a nuclear family because values and beliefs of a family have changed, it may be because we live in a Western society, or it could be because of the media, as the media gives messages like a perfect family is to be part of a nuclear family. Divorce is another factor which has transformed family life. My belief on divorce is the government has made it very easy an accessible to obtain a divorce, hence the married couple does not make any efforts to over come their problems whereas in the asian culture there is a huge stigma attached to divorce, so all efforts have to be made to solve the problem that the married couple have. Another factor that has changed family life in the UK is the role of women, as now days there are more and more women getting an education. On the whole there are advantages and disadvantages of the family transforming in the UK.
Perhaps in the next decade or so there will b other transformations in family. What if the state decides to legislate that there be only one child per family. This in turn would create a huge impact on the family life. In some respects families are getting smaller for example single parent families, which may consist of a mother and a child living together. On the other hand they seem to be expanding for example stepfamilies. For instance if the female is remarrying they may already have children from their marriage before.
There is no such thing as a ‘norm’ upon defining a family in society these days so much is evolving and so much is acceptable as a family, for example lone parents, foster parents and guy and lesbian families. Only a minority people live in might be called the standard 1950's family, which consists of both the parents living together with their children of the marriage, where father is the breadwinner, and the mother is a full time housewife.
Bibliography:
Beaver, M et al (1998) ‘early years and education,’ London, Stanley Thrones.
Bryant, T (1999) ‘Classical sociology’, London sage publishers.
Bernardes, J (1997) ‘Family Studies’
H, Holborn (1995) ‘ sociology, tehems and persepctives’ forth edition, London, Harper Collins Publishers.
Hobart, C, (1999), A Practical Guide to Activities for Young Children, Stanley Thornes.
Nicky, H (1994) Foundations of psychology, London, Thomas nelson and sons ltd.
Anthony Giddens(Reith Lectures (1999) (website)
www.thenuclearfamily.net
www.webref.org/sociology/n/nuclear_family.htm
www.edu.pe.ca/southernkings/familynuclear.htm
www.thebulletin.org/issues/nukenotes/jf03nukenote.htm
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http://wi.essortment.com/genderrolesoc_rivr.htm
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