Nuclear family,in which there are couples of a male and female with one or more children,is tranditionally considered as universal as the norm of family that fits any people by functionalists and New right. Murdock believed it was an universal institution with universal functions and in1993,Gittins also provided an ideology cereal packet image of nuclear family by labelling other types of family as undesirable. Besides,according to New Right like Saunder and Morgan ,nuclear family is the bedrock of society which leads to a lot of laws and social policies to support. For example,conservative government introduced Family Law Act which says there has to be a year before divorce during which couples can have time to think of it carefully. With those laws,nuclear family spreaded quickly as universal at that time. Moreover,with the industrialisation,nuclear family was becoming more popular which can be described by Parsons using the concept "isolated nuclear family". The characteristics of it including geographic mobility,achieved status and loss of functions are consistent with the changes of industrialisation. This can be proved by Willmott and Young's researches in 1973 which shows that nuclear family was the mainstream in industrial society.
However,there are a lot of arguements. As found by Anserson from study of Preston consenus,extended family was popular at first stage of industrialisation and Willmott also said extended family is important but always held in reserve for some cricis. Nowadays,family diversity is increasing in terms of the introduction of McRae in 1999 with more single-hood,cohabitation,lone-parent family and same-sex family. It may be seen as a result of improving technology like contraception(Allan&Crow),changes of laws(like Civil Partnership),increasing status of women,changes of social values(Crokett&Tripp) and more expectation put on marriage(Fletcher&Parsons). Furthermore,this change is advocated by Postmodernists like Stacey as it satisfies the need of different people's preference. But we can not consequently say nuclear family is not universal. Although there is an increasing family diversity,nuclear family remains the dominant one which is said by functionalist-Chester that we should also consider the decreasing death rate with more old people living in extended family.
Tuesday 21 April 2009
Monday 20 April 2009
Answer to essay 1-changes of position of children
What i didn't write and realise??
Childhood:
1.the current condition of children: age patriarchy(Diana Gittins)- parents enforce dependency to put legal control and protection on children.
2.impact of mass media(Neil Postman)-dissappearance of childhood.
3.a reduction in infant mortality
4.lastly,evaluation should consider class,ethnicity and gender
5.include debates between perspectives.eg.Postman,March of Progress by functionalists
Childhood:
1.the current condition of children: age patriarchy(Diana Gittins)- parents enforce dependency to put legal control and protection on children.
2.impact of mass media(Neil Postman)-dissappearance of childhood.
3.a reduction in infant mortality
4.lastly,evaluation should consider class,ethnicity and gender
5.include debates between perspectives.eg.Postman,March of Progress by functionalists
Sunday 19 April 2009
Essay3-Examine the effects of urbanisation and industrialisation on the family and household structure
Examine the effects of urbanisation and industrialisation on the family and household structure.
-The main and clear effect will be a change of family structure from extended family to nuclear family. With the industrialisation,the extended kinship network is not good for the changeable jobs of the labour. Therefore,as indicated by Parsons,isolated nuclear family with a loss of functions replaced by society,achieved status which concetrates on the the individual ability and more geographic mobility appear and gradually becomes the mainstream. Moreover,it is said by Willmott and Young that industrialisation lead to a symmetrical relationship of family because of equal roles of husbands and wives that the former control the outside while the latter control family inside.
However,it is argued by Anderson that extended family is very common at early stage of urbanisation in which people come from other cities have to live with their extended members.
Furthermore,Oakley said that the industrialisation forced women to stay at home which lead to a separation of roles between couples and a more asymmetrical family relationship.
-The main and clear effect will be a change of family structure from extended family to nuclear family. With the industrialisation,the extended kinship network is not good for the changeable jobs of the labour. Therefore,as indicated by Parsons,isolated nuclear family with a loss of functions replaced by society,achieved status which concetrates on the the individual ability and more geographic mobility appear and gradually becomes the mainstream. Moreover,it is said by Willmott and Young that industrialisation lead to a symmetrical relationship of family because of equal roles of husbands and wives that the former control the outside while the latter control family inside.
However,it is argued by Anderson that extended family is very common at early stage of urbanisation in which people come from other cities have to live with their extended members.
Furthermore,Oakley said that the industrialisation forced women to stay at home which lead to a separation of roles between couples and a more asymmetrical family relationship.
Essay 2-Examine the factors affecting the domestic division of labour and power relations between couples.
Examine the factors affecting the domestic division of labour and power relations between couples.
-Social values should be the first and major reason for the domestic division of labour and power relationships between couples especially in the past. Considering nuclear family as the dominant type of family,functionalists believe that the division roles of couples from which females stay at home,taking care of children and doing domestic work while males go out for jobs as expressive and instrumental roles helps the smooth running of society. Similarly,marxists think females provide the emotional support to the males of proletariats that can helps the maintenance of capitalist system as the normal running of society. Therefore,these views produce a fixed ideology of the roles between females and males that women also consider it's their reponsibility to do domestic work and child-care which is found by Oakley. Affected by these view,some policies tend to protect the males at the cost of females like 1979 Conservative government that it encouraged mothers to stay at home to do the take care of children and old people in order to make up for the reduced benefits to family. Besides,during the industrialisation,women were forced to go to labour market in the 20th century and gradually produced the clear separation of roles between couples which tend to cause asymmetrical form of family. Consequently,men is likely to earn more money and have financial power to control the family and make decisions. It can be proved by Mansfield&Collard that men tend to change jobs with higher salary after marriage and that men are likely to have finance control of family suggested by Vogler and Paul. Lastly,the change in education which welcome females and more available subjects also improve the quality of women and confidence.
However,with the changes of labour market,social policy,education and social values,women tend to have more rights with increasing financial independence and confidence.
-Social values should be the first and major reason for the domestic division of labour and power relationships between couples especially in the past. Considering nuclear family as the dominant type of family,functionalists believe that the division roles of couples from which females stay at home,taking care of children and doing domestic work while males go out for jobs as expressive and instrumental roles helps the smooth running of society. Similarly,marxists think females provide the emotional support to the males of proletariats that can helps the maintenance of capitalist system as the normal running of society. Therefore,these views produce a fixed ideology of the roles between females and males that women also consider it's their reponsibility to do domestic work and child-care which is found by Oakley. Affected by these view,some policies tend to protect the males at the cost of females like 1979 Conservative government that it encouraged mothers to stay at home to do the take care of children and old people in order to make up for the reduced benefits to family. Besides,during the industrialisation,women were forced to go to labour market in the 20th century and gradually produced the clear separation of roles between couples which tend to cause asymmetrical form of family. Consequently,men is likely to earn more money and have financial power to control the family and make decisions. It can be proved by Mansfield&Collard that men tend to change jobs with higher salary after marriage and that men are likely to have finance control of family suggested by Vogler and Paul. Lastly,the change in education which welcome females and more available subjects also improve the quality of women and confidence.
However,with the changes of labour market,social policy,education and social values,women tend to have more rights with increasing financial independence and confidence.
Saturday 18 April 2009
Essays!!! _ 1Examine the reasons for changes in the position of children in the family and society.
Examine the reasons for changes in the position of children in the family and society.
-As we can see,there is a clear trend that children are concerned by more and more people nowadays no matter by the family itself or the whole society. For example,there are a lots of laws which concentrate on the rights of children since 1989 with the Child Support Act.
In fact,we can value the change by the changes of society and the corresponding changes in family structure.
Indicated by the sociologist-Aries' study on the paintings,childhood didn't exist before the Medieval that children shared work and production with adults as a family unit until the 16th century,when upper class family began to send the children to the school. Furthermore,with the arrival of industrialisation,nuclear family gradually replaced extended family which suits more the requirement of the charactersitics like geographic mobility and therefore,parents have the chance to concentrate more on their children and realise the special needs of them. Besides,as the increasing standards of labour market,children didn't have the required skill and were left at home which asked parents to know the importance of education and training to children. Nextly,since the increasing average income of the world,people can afford to buy more things to their children and send them to receive education. What's more, the most important cause is the increasing competition of each country that the government should improve the productive capacity by increasing their human capital and more concerns on them . Consequently,Child Support Act firstly introduced the rights of children and other policies come into implement. For instance, parents have to continue to pay the fee to bring their children up after separation and divorce and the introduction of compulsory education with more types of schools to suit different students. Recent to these years,children problems such as domestic violence to the children also appeal to the concerns of the society to care more for the mental need of children.
get
-As we can see,there is a clear trend that children are concerned by more and more people nowadays no matter by the family itself or the whole society. For example,there are a lots of laws which concentrate on the rights of children since 1989 with the Child Support Act.
In fact,we can value the change by the changes of society and the corresponding changes in family structure.
Indicated by the sociologist-Aries' study on the paintings,childhood didn't exist before the Medieval that children shared work and production with adults as a family unit until the 16th century,when upper class family began to send the children to the school. Furthermore,with the arrival of industrialisation,nuclear family gradually replaced extended family which suits more the requirement of the charactersitics like geographic mobility and therefore,parents have the chance to concentrate more on their children and realise the special needs of them. Besides,as the increasing standards of labour market,children didn't have the required skill and were left at home which asked parents to know the importance of education and training to children. Nextly,since the increasing average income of the world,people can afford to buy more things to their children and send them to receive education. What's more, the most important cause is the increasing competition of each country that the government should improve the productive capacity by increasing their human capital and more concerns on them . Consequently,Child Support Act firstly introduced the rights of children and other policies come into implement. For instance, parents have to continue to pay the fee to bring their children up after separation and divorce and the introduction of compulsory education with more types of schools to suit different students. Recent to these years,children problems such as domestic violence to the children also appeal to the concerns of the society to care more for the mental need of children.
get
Thursday 16 April 2009
SomethingSomething~(daily)
Economy of scale(I found it in the revision manual which i always forgot):
Economies of scale is a long run concept and refers to reductions in unit cost as the size of a facility, or scale, increases which is illustrated on the diagram above.Diseconomies of scale are the opposite. Economies of scale may be utilized by any size firm expanding its scale of operation. The common ones are purchasing, managerial (increasing the specialization of managers), financial (obtaining lower-interest charges when borrowing from banks and having access to a greater range of financial instruments), and marketing (spreading the cost of advertising over a greater range of output in media markets). Each of these factors reduces the long run average costs (LRAC) of production by shifting the short-run average total cost (SRATC) curve down and to the right.
It's always a purpose of firms investment with technical advances. Besides,when we consider the importance of investment,we should think about 3c-capacity,costs,competitiveness.
Wednesday 15 April 2009
Continue!! (I love family!~)
A number of changes have taken place, such as the rise in the number of same-sex couples and of lone parents. these have resulted in families becoming much more diverse.However Somerville (2000) argues that these changes are exaggerated. The apparent diversity of family life is based on a snapshot at any one time and, if a life cycle approach is taken, many people have a fairly conventional experience of the family.
e) Use material from Item 2B and elsewhere, assess the view that the nuclear family is no longer the norm. Tranditionally,nuclear family,which is consist of a married couple and two children who are the couple's biological offspring, is considered as universal which fits every family well by Murdock and also supported by the New Right as the Bedrock of Society. However,from the item 2B,we can see there is a rise in the number of lesbian,gay family and lone parents which is against the nuclear family. Furthermore,Susan MacRae made an introduction in 1999 that Britain today is a more complex society than before, with great family diversity: one-person family,cohabitation,lone-parent family and same-sex couples. In fact,we can see it as a result of changes in society of social construction,social value and social policy. Firstly,since the society converted to industrial society, the labour market is expanded and the types of jobs have changed with an increase number of service jobs which requires more women to work. Therefore,women were changing their attitudes and increasingly aimed for occupations which is found by Francis&Skelton. With the increasing independence and confidence suggested by Sharpe,they have the ability to divorce or bring up children by themselves. Besides,as Allan and Crow says,the improving technology in health care as contraception makes couples possible to cohabit without the fears of having babies which may encourages the number of cohabitation. Nextly,divorce becomes more socially acceptable and the increasing divorce rates led the normalisation of divorce as a good means to deal with unhappy marriage indicated by Cockett&Tripp. Some people argued that a decilne in nuclear family meaned a breakdown of tranditional values on marriage and love. But in fact,because some couples expect too much on the marriage,they are less likely to bear the unhappiness and easy to divorce or choose cohabitation as the alternative from the view of Fletcher&Parsons. Another similar view which see overloading marriage lead to the breakdown of nuclear family because of the over-dependence and too much demand of emotion support is cited by Coontz.What's more,the changes of social policy also affect the family structure very much. For example,government provides lots of welfare benefits to single mothers which encourages women to divorce. Besides,the simplified procedure of divorce made it easier and quicker to separate from the partners such as the Divorce Reform Act. Lastly,both the Act of Parliament in 2002 which made it legal for same-sex couples to adopt children and the Civil Partnership Act in UK in 2005 which gave identical rights to same-sex couples to marry increase the number of same-sex family. However,although there is an increasing trend in family diversity and it's supported by Postmodernest like Stacey who viewed it as suitable to the changing society to meet the demands of different kinds of people,the changes may have been exaggerated suggested by Somevill in the item B and some functionalists like Chester. Even though the increase in family types is obvious,the nuclear family remains the dominant family structure. Furthermore,Chester pointed out that the nuclear family is becoming more symmetrical (Willmott&Young) which fits the society better than before.
e) Use material from Item 2B and elsewhere, assess the view that the nuclear family is no longer the norm. Tranditionally,nuclear family,which is consist of a married couple and two children who are the couple's biological offspring, is considered as universal which fits every family well by Murdock and also supported by the New Right as the Bedrock of Society. However,from the item 2B,we can see there is a rise in the number of lesbian,gay family and lone parents which is against the nuclear family. Furthermore,Susan MacRae made an introduction in 1999 that Britain today is a more complex society than before, with great family diversity: one-person family,cohabitation,lone-parent family and same-sex couples. In fact,we can see it as a result of changes in society of social construction,social value and social policy. Firstly,since the society converted to industrial society, the labour market is expanded and the types of jobs have changed with an increase number of service jobs which requires more women to work. Therefore,women were changing their attitudes and increasingly aimed for occupations which is found by Francis&Skelton. With the increasing independence and confidence suggested by Sharpe,they have the ability to divorce or bring up children by themselves. Besides,as Allan and Crow says,the improving technology in health care as contraception makes couples possible to cohabit without the fears of having babies which may encourages the number of cohabitation. Nextly,divorce becomes more socially acceptable and the increasing divorce rates led the normalisation of divorce as a good means to deal with unhappy marriage indicated by Cockett&Tripp. Some people argued that a decilne in nuclear family meaned a breakdown of tranditional values on marriage and love. But in fact,because some couples expect too much on the marriage,they are less likely to bear the unhappiness and easy to divorce or choose cohabitation as the alternative from the view of Fletcher&Parsons. Another similar view which see overloading marriage lead to the breakdown of nuclear family because of the over-dependence and too much demand of emotion support is cited by Coontz.What's more,the changes of social policy also affect the family structure very much. For example,government provides lots of welfare benefits to single mothers which encourages women to divorce. Besides,the simplified procedure of divorce made it easier and quicker to separate from the partners such as the Divorce Reform Act. Lastly,both the Act of Parliament in 2002 which made it legal for same-sex couples to adopt children and the Civil Partnership Act in UK in 2005 which gave identical rights to same-sex couples to marry increase the number of same-sex family. However,although there is an increasing trend in family diversity and it's supported by Postmodernest like Stacey who viewed it as suitable to the changing society to meet the demands of different kinds of people,the changes may have been exaggerated suggested by Somevill in the item B and some functionalists like Chester. Even though the increase in family types is obvious,the nuclear family remains the dominant family structure. Furthermore,Chester pointed out that the nuclear family is becoming more symmetrical (Willmott&Young) which fits the society better than before.
Sociology homework: Family and households
a) Explain what is meant by the expressive role?
As the name indicates,expressive role is acted by people who are always and more likely to convey the feelings of them which can be seen as emotional support. Therefore,expressive role always stands for the female who stay at home and contribute to the well-being of the relationship in the family. From http://socserv.mcmaster.ca/soc/courses/soc2r3/sf/parsons.htm,expressive role=woman=inside family(tension management and child socialisation).
b) Suggest two ways in which 'family life may have a harmful effect on women
'1)unpaid housework 2)domestic violence
c) Suggests three reasons for the decrease in the death rate since the 1900
1)An improvement in health service.2)A reduction in poverty.3)Increased income and living standards.
d) Examine the ways in which childhood can be said to be socially constructed.
Something that is socially constructed means it is constructed by social meanings and definitions of the society. As Philip Aries describes,the concept of childhood didn't exist in medieval until the 16th century when the upper class family sent their children to schools to get education that children began to be separated with adults. Afterwards,the boundary between adults and children is more clear that in the 19th century,there were some laws that "employment of children is banned and education is compulsory" which shows the separation of children from the adult settings and the different legal status. As the society's value and actions of children change,the childhood also changes. Then is followed by 1989 that the Children Act firstly outlined children's rights and aimed to protect them. For example,Bukatka and Daehler pointed out that the marriage of children under 12 is prohibited. Besides,the Child Support Agency force the absent parents to pay and finance. Then,we can see that children receive really big attention from the society nowadays. Furthermore,we can use the evidende of cross-culture childhood. Different culture and social values will affect the childhood lifeas they are socially constructed. For instance,Asian family always try hard to protect the children whereas children from the Pacific island of Tikopia are allowed to use tools themselves to do some dangerous tasks if they felt ready. However,childhood is not socially constructed all the time. It is said by Nick Lee that the adulthood becomes unstable and therefore reduces the control on the children. This led to the a change in the social construction of childhood and children's rights are increasing. Although it is argued by Neil Postman that the media is breaking down the boundaries between adults and children which may lead to the disappearance of childhood,correct education and displine by parents and teachers can guide the children and hold on their world.
e) Use material from Item 2B and elsewhere, assess the view that the nuclear family is no longer the norm.(not finished till tomorrow)
As the name indicates,expressive role is acted by people who are always and more likely to convey the feelings of them which can be seen as emotional support. Therefore,expressive role always stands for the female who stay at home and contribute to the well-being of the relationship in the family. From http://socserv.mcmaster.ca/soc/courses/soc2r3/sf/parsons.htm,expressive role=woman=inside family(tension management and child socialisation).
b) Suggest two ways in which 'family life may have a harmful effect on women
'1)unpaid housework 2)domestic violence
c) Suggests three reasons for the decrease in the death rate since the 1900
1)An improvement in health service.2)A reduction in poverty.3)Increased income and living standards.
d) Examine the ways in which childhood can be said to be socially constructed.
Something that is socially constructed means it is constructed by social meanings and definitions of the society. As Philip Aries describes,the concept of childhood didn't exist in medieval until the 16th century when the upper class family sent their children to schools to get education that children began to be separated with adults. Afterwards,the boundary between adults and children is more clear that in the 19th century,there were some laws that "employment of children is banned and education is compulsory" which shows the separation of children from the adult settings and the different legal status. As the society's value and actions of children change,the childhood also changes. Then is followed by 1989 that the Children Act firstly outlined children's rights and aimed to protect them. For example,Bukatka and Daehler pointed out that the marriage of children under 12 is prohibited. Besides,the Child Support Agency force the absent parents to pay and finance. Then,we can see that children receive really big attention from the society nowadays. Furthermore,we can use the evidende of cross-culture childhood. Different culture and social values will affect the childhood lifeas they are socially constructed. For instance,Asian family always try hard to protect the children whereas children from the Pacific island of Tikopia are allowed to use tools themselves to do some dangerous tasks if they felt ready. However,childhood is not socially constructed all the time. It is said by Nick Lee that the adulthood becomes unstable and therefore reduces the control on the children. This led to the a change in the social construction of childhood and children's rights are increasing. Although it is argued by Neil Postman that the media is breaking down the boundaries between adults and children which may lead to the disappearance of childhood,correct education and displine by parents and teachers can guide the children and hold on their world.
e) Use material from Item 2B and elsewhere, assess the view that the nuclear family is no longer the norm.(not finished till tomorrow)
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