Giddens (1996) noted that in order to understand families it is necessary to look beyond changes in household composition to the relationships within which families live. However, we should not think of compositional changes, or changes in family living arrangements, as merely 'change in the context' of relationships. Rather such compositional changes in households, and changes in general patterns of 'standard' living arrangements, are themselves part of the substance of changing families and friendship based relationships.
Marriage rates have been in steady decline since early 1970s with fall of 3 to 4% per annum. From 1971 to 1995 first marriage rates fell by 90% for teenage women and 80% for women aged 20-24. Medium age at first marriage rose from 23.4 to 27.9 yrs for men and 21.4 to 26.0 years for women (Murphy and Wang 1999). The decline in remarriage rates has been even more pronounced. For divorced men, the remarriage rate has fallen by 75% since 1971. In respect of cohabitation, McRae suggests that it’s continued growth, "before marriage, between marriages, and instead of marriage - encapsulates the depth and breadth of changes in people's behaviour and attitudes towards sexual morality and living arrangements”. (McRae 1999).
In the domain of lone parenthood in particular sociological research agendas have been particularly shaped by critiquing the discourses surrounding the presumed meanings of lone parenthood as an indicator of family change and of patterns of claims on state welfare. As one might expect from the rise in the divorce rate, the proportion of single-parent families has been increasing. “Divorce is, of course, not the only cause. Death of a spouse will also contribute to the number of one-parent families”. Abercrombie and Warde (1988).
Conclusion: According to Graham and Crow (2001). “Family life is never static. Changes occurring at different levels all the time”. However, Divorce rate, lone parent household, cohabitation and declining in marriages rate are all impact of development of Britain more ethnically mixed, multicultural society, and the increase proportion of elderly people in population (widow and widower). Same sex marriages have also fostered the emergence of divergent patterns of family experience.
BIBLIOGAPHY
Anthony Giddens: (1996 p105). In defence of sociology: Essays, interpretations and rejoinders. Oxford: Polity, 1996.
Graham Allan and Graham crow: (2001 p23&p34). Families, household and society. Basingstoke: Palgrave, 2001.
McKay, S. and Marsh, A. (1994 no25). Lone Parents and Work Department of Social Security Research Report no. 25. London: HMSO, 1994.
McKay, S. (1998 p30): Exploring the Dynamics of Family Change: lone parenthood in Great Britain, Edited by Leisering and Walker. London, 1998.
Murphy, M. and Wang, D: (1999). Forecasting British families into the twenty-first century in McRae, (2nd edition) Oxford 1999.
Nicholas Abercrombie and Alan Warde with Keith Soothill, John Urry and Sylvia Walby: (1988 p299). Contemporary British society: a new introduction to sociology. Cambridge: Polity, 1988.
Patrick C Mckenry, Sharon J Price: (2005 p292) Families and Changes: Coping with stressful events and transition. (3rd Edition): Sage Publication, 2005.
Susan McRae: (1999 p16). Changing Britain: Families and households in the 1990s. Oxford University Press 1999.
