Download The Traditional Nuclear Family and New Alternatives

The Sociology of the Family
Adam Isaiah Green
Introduction to Sociology
Winter 2013
nuclear family: is composed of a
cohabiting man and woman who
maintain a socially approved sexual
relationship and have at least one child.
traditional nuclear family: the wife
performs free domestic labor while the
husband works outside the home for
money. This family form is based on a
gendered division of labour.
Heteronormativity
•
A set of interrelated ideas about the
traditional nuclear family, including:
a) the idea that heterosexuality is normal and
morally superior to homosexuality
b) that heterosexual monogamous marriage is
normal and morally superior to any other kind
of family arrangement
c) that a woman’s natural role in life is to bear
children in marriage and do the domestic labor
of the household; a man’s natural role is to
provide for and protect his family
The Traditional Nuclear Family
and New Alternatives
legally married

singlehood,
with children

two-parent

permanent

male primary provider,
ultimate authority
sexually exclusive

heterosexual

never married
nonmarital cohabitation
voluntary childlessness
single-parent
divorce, remarriage
egalitarian (dual-career)
extramarital relationships
same-sex relationships,
households
The Growing Diversity of
Canadian Families, 1931-2001
http://www12.statcan.ca/english/census01/products/analytic/companion/fam/family.cfm
The Growing Diversity of Canadian
Families, 1981-2006 (in percent)
1981
Lone-parent
families, 11.3
Common-law
couples
without
children, 3.7
Common-law
couples with
children at
home, 1.9
Married
couples
without
children,
28.1
Married
couples with
children at
home, 55
2006
Married couples
without children,
29.9
Lone-parent
families, 15.9
Married couples
with children at
home, 38.7
Common-law
couples without
children, 8.5
Common-law
couples with
children at home,
6.9
FUNCTIONALISM: The Five
Functions of Families
 Sexual regulation




Economic cooperation
Reproduction
Socialization
Emotional support
Crude Divorce Rate,
Canada, 1968-2003
The crude divorce rate is the number of divorces that occur
in a year for every 1,000 people in the population.
Divorces per 1,000 population
4
3.1
3
2.3
2
1
0.5
0
1968
1988
Year
2003
Crude Marriage Rate,
Canada, 1921-2003
12
10.6
10
8
6
4.7
4
2
2003
2002
1996
1990
1981
1971
1961
1951
1941
1931
0
1921
Marriages per 1,000 population
The crude marriage rate is the number of marriages that
occur in a year for every 1,000 people in the population.
Rosie “the riveter”
MODE OF PRODUCTION
OF HUMAN FAMILIES
HUNTING GATHERING SOCIETIES
AGRICULTURAL SOCIETIES;
DOMESTICATION OF ANIMALS
MONOGAMY IS LOVE?
 Marxists assert the primacy of class
inequality, especially under capitalism, in
creating gender inequality in the family:
Class inequality
Problem of wealth
transmission
Economic control
Sexual control
 But feminists assert the priority of patriarchy
over class inequality because patriarchy existed
in pre-capitalist and communist societies.
Total Divorce Rate, Canada,
1993-2003
Divorces per 1,000 marriages by 30th anniversary
450
400
401
405
400
369
350
348
361
376
383
2002
2003
300
250
200
150
100
50
0
1993
1994
1995
1996
Year
1997
1998
The Five Bases
of Marital Satisfaction





Economic forces
Divorce laws
The family life cycle
Housework and childcare
Sex
Family Satisfaction
and the Family Life Cycle
Family satisfaction (scale 1-5)
4.5
4.3
Men
4.1
Women
3.9
3.7
-p
n
No
s
nt
e
ar
49
25
La
hi
c
un
ng
t
Es
en
m
ish
l
ab
t
lt
u
Ad
en
r
ild
h
c
at
e
m
o
h
ss
Ch
le
ild
ne
o
n
or
at
e
m
o
h
+
50
Three Factors Account for
Emotional Distress among
Children of Divorce
 High level of parental conflict
 Decline in living standards
 Absence of a parent
SAME-SEX MARRIAGE