🎓 A-Level Sociology: Family – Topic Summary
Exam Board: AQA
Includes: Functionalism, Marxism, Feminism,
Postmodernism, New Right & Family Policy
Designed for: Grade 9 / A* Students
Created by: Hayrish Emin
📚 Contents:
1. Functionalist View of the Family – pg. 2
Marxist View of the Family – pg. 3
Feminist View of the Family – pg. 4
Postmodern & Personal Life Perspective – pg. 5
New Right View of the Family – pg. 6
Families and Social Policy – pg. 7
, FUNCTIONALIST VIEW ON FAMILY
🧠 THEORIST 📖 THEORY ❌ EVALUATION 👥 WHO BY
Murdock - Family has 4 functions: sexual, Assumes nuclear family is Marxists
socialisation 📌
reproductive, economic,
- Universal institution – found in all
natural/universal, Ignores
family diversity & domestic
abuse
Feminists
societies
Parsons - Functional Fit theory: family type Outdated view; ignores family Postmodernists
changes to suit society diversity, Too simplistic –
- industrialisation → nuclear overlooks ethnic and
- 2 irreducible functions: primary class-based family structures
adult personalities 📌
socialisation and stabilisation of
- Family is a "warm bath" –
emotional support for
adults
Young &
Willmott production 📌
- Pre-industrial family was unit of
- Symmetrical family emerging in
Evidence based mostly on
middle-class families
Feminists
modern society
Fletcher
functions 📌
- Modern family still performs
- emotional support
Overstates the family’s role
today; family is not the only
way to get emotional support,
Marxists
Feminists
- Welfare state supports—not Overlooks emotional strain in
replaces—family functions modern families
MARXIST VIEW ON FAMILY
🧠 THEORIST 📖 THEORY ❌ EVALUATION 👥 WHO BY
Engels - Family arose to control inheritance Historically speculative & Interactionists
through monogamy outdated
📌
- Ensures male ownership of
property
Zaretsky
📌
- Family is a “safety valve” for
capitalism
Overlooks emotional benefits Postmodernists
of family life
Exam Board: AQA
Includes: Functionalism, Marxism, Feminism,
Postmodernism, New Right & Family Policy
Designed for: Grade 9 / A* Students
Created by: Hayrish Emin
📚 Contents:
1. Functionalist View of the Family – pg. 2
Marxist View of the Family – pg. 3
Feminist View of the Family – pg. 4
Postmodern & Personal Life Perspective – pg. 5
New Right View of the Family – pg. 6
Families and Social Policy – pg. 7
, FUNCTIONALIST VIEW ON FAMILY
🧠 THEORIST 📖 THEORY ❌ EVALUATION 👥 WHO BY
Murdock - Family has 4 functions: sexual, Assumes nuclear family is Marxists
socialisation 📌
reproductive, economic,
- Universal institution – found in all
natural/universal, Ignores
family diversity & domestic
abuse
Feminists
societies
Parsons - Functional Fit theory: family type Outdated view; ignores family Postmodernists
changes to suit society diversity, Too simplistic –
- industrialisation → nuclear overlooks ethnic and
- 2 irreducible functions: primary class-based family structures
adult personalities 📌
socialisation and stabilisation of
- Family is a "warm bath" –
emotional support for
adults
Young &
Willmott production 📌
- Pre-industrial family was unit of
- Symmetrical family emerging in
Evidence based mostly on
middle-class families
Feminists
modern society
Fletcher
functions 📌
- Modern family still performs
- emotional support
Overstates the family’s role
today; family is not the only
way to get emotional support,
Marxists
Feminists
- Welfare state supports—not Overlooks emotional strain in
replaces—family functions modern families
MARXIST VIEW ON FAMILY
🧠 THEORIST 📖 THEORY ❌ EVALUATION 👥 WHO BY
Engels - Family arose to control inheritance Historically speculative & Interactionists
through monogamy outdated
📌
- Ensures male ownership of
property
Zaretsky
📌
- Family is a “safety valve” for
capitalism
Overlooks emotional benefits Postmodernists
of family life
