1. SOCIOLOGICAL
PERSPECTIVES ON THE
FAMILY
AS Sociology

2. Aims
 To review and re-cap Functionalist and Marxist
ideas
 To introduce feminist perspectives.
 To examine the key themes in feminist
research.

3. By the end of this lesson…
 Confidently describe the three key
perspectives on the family

4. Functionalism re-cap
Emphasises harmony and integration
between different parts of society – all the
different parts of society working together
help to maintain society.
Family is a vital organ
maintaining the body of
society.

5. Murdock 1949
Sexual – expressing
sexuality in a socially
approved context – note that
this also implies social
disapproval – homosexuality,
adultery, incest etc.
Reproduction – stability for
producing and rearing children

6. Murdock
Socialisation – important unit of primary
socialisation, where children learn
socially acceptable forms of behaviour
and the culture of their society. This
helps to build a stable society through
value consensus.
Economic – the family provides food
and shelter
Murdock – these functions are
necessary in any society and
that the nuclear family exists in
every society to carry out these

7. Functionalism…Parsons 1951
Parsons – Looked at family life in the 1950s
Two basic functions of the family
Primary socialisation – society would cease to exist if the
new generation was not socialised into the norms and
values of society.
People are moulded to act in certain ways almost without
thinking about it – families are factories producing human
personalities and only the family can provide the security
and emotional warmth to achieve this.
The stabilization of human personalities
Expressive and instrumental roles – contributes to
the stabilization of personalities.

8. Criticisms of Functionalism

9. Traditional Marxism
Marxists see the family within the context of a capitalist
society – a society based on private property and
driven by profit.
The society is based on conflict between the interests
of the classes.
The family exists to teach the members of society to
submit to the capitalist class.
Engels – the nuclear family developed as a means to
pass on private property to heirs. Women’s position in
the family was not much different from a prostitute- she
exchanged sex and heirs in return for economic security.

10. Traditional Marxism
Althusser 1971
In order for capitalism to survive – the
working class must submit to the ruling class.
The family is a key method for passing on the
ideology of the ruling class – the ruling class
tries to maintain false consciousness in this
way.

11. Criticisms of Marxism
Old fashioned – people marry
for different reasons rather
than to pass on inherited
wealth and property. People
are now more likely to marry
for love rather than social Many women have financial
responsibility independence and are now
less likely to marry for
financial security. There is a
growing emphasis on the
emotional aspects of the
relationship and personal
fulfilment.

12. Marxist Feminism
The nuclear family benefits capitalist society by providing free domestic labour.
In this way capitalism exploits women – Margaret Benston (1972) - the nuclear
family was important to capitalism because it rears the future workforce with
little or no cost to the capitalist state.

13. Marxist Feminism
Women’s domestic
labour and sexual
services help to
maintain the present
workforce’s physical
and emotional fitness

14. Marxist Feminism
Mothers and housewives
are also a cheap reserve
workforce that can be hired
cheaply as part-time
workers in times of
economic expansion and let
go in times of recession.

15. Marxist Feminism
The capitalist system exploits
women’s domestic labour as by
hiring women cleaners the wealthy
of BOTH sexes are freed to pursue
careers outside the home.

16. Marxist Feminism
The family is useful to capitalism
as it can act as a distraction
from unrest in the workplace.
But…also men may make up for
their lack of power in the
workplace and choose to exhort
power in the home having
negative consequences for
women …domestic violence.

17. Radical Feminism
Key effect of
industrialisation was that
women were excluded
from paid work and their
roles were redefined as
mothers and housewives
who were dependent on
the family wage earned
by the male breadwinner.

18. Radical Feminism
Men dominated paid work and as a
consequence of this held both political
and cultural power.
Women were confined to the family where
they were dominated and repressed by
men.
Radical feminists believe that the modern
family meets the needs of men rather than
all members of society.
They see patriarchy as the main obstacle
to women’s freedom.

19. Tasks…30 minutes and
counting!
 Research and summarise the main themes
which can be seen in feminist writings on the
family.
 The social reproduction of labour power
 Social control of the working class
 The family as a place of work
 The symmetrical family
 What are the key criticisms of the feminist
perspectives?

20. Who says what…?
Sort the statement cards into their correct
groups and give each group the appropriate
heading.
Which perspective on the family do you believe
to have the strongest argument….why?