Are there any about?

I have to do an essay on the Family and look at the different perspectives..E.g. the conflict theories, consensus theories etc.

I sorta think I'm failing sociology. I listen in class but I'm not picking it up. If anyone can help or just use layman's terms that would be cool. Sorry if it looks like I want someone to do my essay. IT AIN'T THAT. Just for someone to explain simply so that I remember what Feminists/Functionalists and Marxists generally think would be cool.

__________________


founder of


http://www.last.fm/user/er_rachael

"what Feminists/Functionalists and Marxists generally think would be cool"

Feminists generally think that the family supports patriarchy - men being the head of the household - and they think that this is bad.....very bad!

Functionists generally think that the family is great and it fulfils all of its fuctions perfectly and everything

Marxists generally think the family is only good if it is a nuclear family and any other sort of family is inferiour.

Hope this helps!!

__________________
I can't Wait Till We No Longer Have To Lie About Us

thankyou it does :0

I get confused between the marxists and functionalists. Dont they both agree on the nuclear family?

__________________


founder of


http://www.last.fm/user/er_rachael

lol

what is 'lol' about it?

__________________


founder of


http://www.last.fm/user/er_rachael

Marx was mostly interested in how one group maintains it's control over another. Relate this to the family. I don't know for example how the family produces more labour.

Feminists argue that the family simply reproduce the idea the gender relations are natural.

"I get confused between the marxists and functionalists. Dont they both agree on the nuclear family?"


Yeah pretty much, but the functionalists think that every sort of family is good while the nuclear family think only the nucear family is good and the rest are not as good

__________________
I can't Wait Till We No Longer Have To Lie About Us

Do you still need help, Rachael?

yessssss, its for friday

__________________


founder of


http://www.last.fm/user/er_rachael

OK - I'll get onto it when I get home and IM you I'm at work right now lol.

From memory - can you include New Right theory, and theorists such as Murray? His study was about lone parent families and the underclass. New Right in general is very pro-nuclear family and DEATH to the others kinda thing.

Crazybabe-person outlined the others pretty well. Just make sure you include studies in your essay. I can look those up for you when I get home, we have 53+ studies to learn this year (A2). BAH.

yeah we can thankyouuuu

__________________


founder of


http://www.last.fm/user/er_rachael

You're not online! So I'll just post here.
OK...mix of web research and my own notes here, so here ya go..

Functionalist - family is a positive agent of socialisation. Functionalist theory is the MOST positive about the family. Nuclear family is the ideal - husband as the breadwinner, wife at home with the children. Everyone has their role - division of labour, generally based on traditional gender roles. Warm bath theory... not sure if you've done that..if you have, include it, if not, it will just confuse you lol.
Functionalist key thinkers -
Durkheim, you can always use for functionalist theory (obviously), Murdock and Parsons (for the social roles part).

Evaluation: Too idealistic. You could also evaluate with the feminist view - women are oppressed by the 'ideal' nuclear family...in other words, the functionalist view doesn't represent the reality of family life, particularly for women, due to oppression.

opposing view - Marxist - the family is a puppet used by capitalism/the ruling class, and they roles directly benefit capitalism..especially in terms of the economy, and passing on gender/social roles to the next generation...in other words, housewives producing another generation of workers (false consciousness). The patriarchal nature of the family also perpetuates male dominance, and thus controls women...especially because women's domestic work is unpaid. It also makes men think they have power and control, if only in that setting, and so they accept their oppression at work/in society.
The family also keep eachother going/working by relieving pressures caused by exploitation by the ruling class, and acts as a safety valve for stress.
Key thinkers - obviously Marx. Engels. Zaretsky, you could mention too...he said that the family keeps capitalism going strong.

Evaluation: Too simplistic - it ignores family diversity.

Umm..I don't have enough notes on conflict theory, sooo.. lol. You could also include postmodernist theory, maybe? But, Marxist/Functionalist and Feminist are the most important in terms of the family.

Hope this helps you - I'm crawling along myself in Sociology (so I was happy to go over my notes and revise lol)

thankyouuuuuuuu <3 you're a star! that really helps, we did do the warm bath theory. I fucking hate my sociology class. I sit at the back and cant see the board (i need glasses) and hes spoken to me like ONCE. He's one of those teachers that writes thing on the board and wants you to copy when teaching you important stuff. it's hard to concentrate on both.

__________________


founder of


http://www.last.fm/user/er_rachael