Assess the view that the nuclear family is no longer the norm in the contemporary UK.
OCR
A Level
2018
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Assessing the Decline of the Nuclear Family in Contemporary UK
This essay will delve into the assertion that the nuclear family is no longer the dominant family form in contemporary UK society. It will critically examine evidence for this claim, analyzing diverse sociological perspectives, and evaluating contrasting viewpoints.
AO1: Knowledge and Understanding
Evidence for the Decline of the Nuclear Family
This section will explore various factors contributing to the decline of the nuclear family:
- Diversity of Family Forms:
- Highlighting the Rappaports' five types of diversity (structural, cultural, organizational, individual, and time-linked) to demonstrate how traditional family structures are no longer the norm.
- Sexual Diversity:
- Discuss the work of Dunne and Weeks, who challenge the gendered relations inherent in the nuclear family model, highlighting the increasing acceptance and prevalence of same-sex relationships and families.
- Structural Diversity:
- Analyze the rise of single-parent families, individuals living alone, and reconstituted families, indicating a shift in traditional family forms.
- Mention Hart's concept of "creative singlehood" to show how individuals are redefining family structures through personal choices.
- "Families of Choice":
- Explore Weeks' notion of "families of choice," where individuals create support networks that resemble family structures but do not adhere to traditional definitions.
- Theoretical Perspectives Supporting the Decline:
- Examine the arguments of liberal feminism, which emphasizes individual choice and agency, leading to diverse family forms.
- Discuss postmodernism's view of family as a fluid and constantly evolving social construct.
- Analyze the New Right perspective, which argues that the decline of the nuclear family contributes to social problems, but acknowledge their conservative view.
AO2: Application
This section will demonstrate the direct application of the knowledge presented in AO1 to the specific question about the decline of the nuclear family in contemporary UK.
- Use specific statistics and research findings to support the claim that the nuclear family is no longer the dominant family form.
- Illustrate how the various types of diversity are evident in contemporary UK society, using examples.
- Show how theoretical perspectives provide a framework for understanding the changing nature of family structures.
AO3: Analysis and Evaluation
Counterarguments and Critiques
This section will explore opposing viewpoints and engage in a critical evaluation of the assertion that the nuclear family is no longer the norm:
- Radical Feminist View:
- Analyze the argument that patriarchal relations still persist within the nuclear family, even in its modified forms.
- Discuss how this perspective may challenge the idea of a decline, highlighting the continued dominance of traditional gender roles.
- Neo-Functionalist View:
- Examine Chester's argument that many alternative family forms do not fundamentally challenge the nuclear family, but rather represent variations within its framework.
- Explore how this perspective might suggest a degree of continuity rather than a decline.
- Social Policies and the Nuclear Family:
- Discuss how certain social policies, such as tax breaks for married couples, may reinforce the nuclear family model and undermine claims of its decline.
- Analyze how these policies might perpetuate traditional family structures.
- Marxist View:
- Examine the Marxist perspective, which argues that the nuclear family is a dominant institution in capitalist societies, regardless of specific variations in family forms.
- Discuss how this viewpoint might question the idea of a decline, suggesting that the nuclear family remains central to maintaining social order in capitalist systems.
- Media Representation:
- Analyze how media representations, like the "Cereal Packet Family" (Leach), perpetuate the ideology of the nuclear family, even as alternative forms become more prevalent.
- Explore how media can contribute to the continued influence of the nuclear family model, even if it is not the most prevalent in reality.
Conclusion
The conclusion should synthesize the arguments presented, acknowledging the evidence for both the decline and the continued influence of the nuclear family. It should offer a nuanced assessment of the question, considering the complex interplay of diverse family forms, societal changes, and persistent social structures.
Assess the view that the nuclear family is no longer the norm in the contemporary UK.
The traditional image of the nuclear family, consisting of a married heterosexual couple with children, has long been held as the societal ideal. However, the contemporary UK presents a far more diverse reality, prompting the question of whether the nuclear family is still the norm. This essay argues that while the nuclear family model retains some influence, it no longer accurately reflects the diverse family structures and relationships prevalent in modern Britain.
One key argument for the declining dominance of the nuclear family is the sheer diversity of family forms present in the UK. The Rappaports (1982) identified five types of family diversity: organizational, cultural, class, life course, and cohort. This highlights the significant variations in how families are structured, their cultural values, and their experiences across different social groups and generations.
Structural diversity is particularly evident in the rise of alternative family forms. Single-parent families have become increasingly common, often due to factors like divorce, separation, and changing attitudes towards single parenthood. The number of people living alone has also increased, reflecting greater individual choice and economic independence. Additionally, reconstituted families, formed through remarriage and cohabitation, present a complex blend of family relationships.
Furthermore, changing attitudes towards sexual diversity challenge the heteronormative assumptions of the traditional nuclear family. Research by Dunne (1999) on lesbian families, for example, demonstrates how family structures can exist independently of traditional gender roles. Weeks (2000) argues that the increasing acceptance of same-sex relationships and the option for same-sex couples to marry further disrupt the notion of the nuclear family as the sole legitimate family form.
Sociologists have also put forward theoretical frameworks that support the view of a shift away from the nuclear family. Postmodernism emphasizes individual choice and fluidity in relationships, suggesting that individuals are no longer bound by traditional family structures. Liberal feminists celebrate the growing autonomy of women and their ability to choose from a wider range of family forms. O'Brien and Jones (1999) argue that there is no longer a single dominant family type, reflecting broader societal changes and individual choices.
However, it is crucial to acknowledge counter-arguments to this view. Neo-functionalists, such as Chester (1985), argue that many alternative family forms are not truly distinct from the nuclear family. They suggest these alternative structures are often temporary phases, and individuals ultimately aspire towards forming nuclear families.
Furthermore, some argue that the idea of the nuclear family as the norm persists through various mechanisms. Marxists argue that the capitalist system benefits from and reinforces the nuclear family structure as it promotes the private sphere of consumption and reproduces future generations of workers. Media representations, such as the idealized "cereal packet family" identified by Leach (1966), continue to perpetuate the image of the nuclear family as the ideal, despite the reality being far more diverse.
In conclusion, while the nuclear family structure persists in the UK, it is no longer accurate to consider it the norm. The rise of diverse family forms, changing attitudes towards relationships and sexuality, and theoretical perspectives emphasizing individual choice all point towards a more fragmented and fluid family landscape. While vestiges of the nuclear family ideal may remain through societal structures and representations, the contemporary UK embraces a much broader spectrum of family life.
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AO1: Knowledge and Understanding
The following list is indicative of possible evidence / arguments in support of the view that there is no longer a nuclear family:
- Different types and extent of diversity (e.g. the Rappaports - 5 types of diversity) to show that the nuclear family is not the norm.
- Sexual diversity; Dunne; Weeks challenge gendered relations in a nuclear family.
- Structural diversity (e.g. increase in single parent families; people living alone; reconstituted families).
- Hart – creative singlehood
- O’Brien and Jones – no dominant family type/ families and social change.
- Weeks – families of choice
- Theories that support the view - Liberal feminism, postmodernism, New Right.
AO2: Application
The selected knowledge should be directly related to the specific question.
AO3: Analysis and Evaluation
A common evaluative strategy may be the engagement of other theories which are in contrast to the view in the questions:
- The radical feminist view that patriarchal relations still exist within a nuclear family context.
- The neo-functionalist view that many so called alternatives to the nuclear family do not challenge the nuclear family - Chester.
- Examples of social policies which support the nuclear family being the norm – e.g. tax breaks for married couples.
- The Marxist view that the nuclear family is dominant in all capitalist societies.
- Media representation of the nuclear family ideology (Cereal packet family – Leach)
- Any other relevant response