Criticisms of families: Practice Questions

The criticism regarding a lack of contact with wider kinship networks suggests that the modern nuclear family has become increasingly detached from which group?

Marxists like Zaretsky criticise the modern nuclear family for acting as a unit of consumption. What does this criticism specifically imply?

Sociologists who criticise the modern family for a loss of traditional functions argue that the family's role in society has shrunk. Which of the following best describes this perspective?

Which of the following is a common criticism of the modern nuclear family regarding its relationship with the broader community?

According to the feminist perspective of Delphy and Leonard, why is the family criticised as being a patriarchal institution?

Identify one way in which a dysfunctional family can be seen as a sociological criticism of the nuclear family unit.

Describe one way in which Delphy and Leonard criticise the family from a feminist perspective, specifically regarding the domestic division of labour.

Contrast the Marxist criticism that the family supports the capitalist system through the reproduction of labour power with the feminist criticism of the family as an institution of patriarchal control.

Criticisms of the Family

a) Identify and describe two different criticisms that sociologists have made about the nuclear family. (2 marks)

b) Briefly explain what sociologists mean by the term 'dysfunctional family'. (2 marks)

Sociological critiques of the family often focus on the 'dark side' of family life and its relationship with wider social structures, challenging the idea that the family is always a positive institution.

a) Explain the concept of a dysfunctional family and provide one reason why this concept is used to challenge the functionalist perspective of the family. (2 marks)

b) Discuss how the isolation of the modern nuclear family from wider kinship networks can be seen as a criticism. In your answer, refer to the potential impact of this isolation on both parents and children. (3 marks)

c) Compare the views of Delphy and Leonard with those of Zaretsky regarding the exploitation of family members. Focus your comparison on who is being exploited and the social system that is being maintained according to each perspective. (3 marks)