Transcript New Right Theory and the Family

In your groups produce a mind map of the
functionalist view of the family
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Who are the New Right?
What do they believe?
What are the criticisms of the New right
perspective on the family
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The New Right are usually conservative
thinkers and politicians who believe very
strongly in tradition.
They believe there was a once a ‘golden age’
of the family
The New Rights views on the family reflect a
familial ideology
A set of ideas about what constitutes an ‘ideal’
family
 They prefer the traditional nuclear family with a
clear sexual division of labour
 This ideology is transmitted by sections of the
media, politicians & religious leaders.
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“When it comes to effective socialisation, no
alternative family structure comes close to the
merits of two parents, formally married”
Charles Murray
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Each group has a section on text you must
create a poster from which to teach other
students
15 words max and as may symbols /pictures
as you wish
Speed date - moving round to the other
tables and gaining the information from
them
You will have 5 minutes with each table
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Return to your group and teach them
everything you have learnt
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A political and academic approach to
understanding society
It stresses that the government (which is paid
for by hard-working tax payers) should not
have to support people
They think individuals chose not to work and
have made themselves unemployable
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Increasing numbers of ‘young, healthy, low-income
males choose not to take jobs’.
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Many have grown up without a father and male
wage earner
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Female headed family are dependent on welfare
benefits, the disciplines and responsibilities of
mainstream society thus tend to break down
Evidence of Changes in the Family in recent
years to support N.R claims:
- Increase in lone parent families
- Increase in fatherless families
- Increase in divorce rates
- Increase in cohabitation
- Increase in Gay and Lesbian Couples
- Decrease in traditional nuclear family
1)The breakdown of traditional family values
2) Over generous welfare benefits to single mothers
which allow dads to opt out of their responsibilities
for raising and providing for their kids
3)Influence of feminism has devalued marriage,
domesticity and childrearing and encouraged
women to seek fulfilment outside the home
4) Increased sexual permissiveness
5) Greater tolerance of gay and lesbian
relationships as alternatives to heterosexual
marriage
6) Equal opportunities policies
7) Contraceptive pill
8)1969 divorce law reform act
9)Nanny state = too many benefits given out, as
if married to the state
Consequences
 The fragmented family fails to adequately
socialise children
 Children thus more likely to underachieve at
school and behave in anti-social ways
 Over generous welfare benefits can lead to
mothers becoming too dependent on the
state and in effect are ‘married to the state’.
Solutions
Imagine that you are part of the New Right,
what three solutions would you produce to
try and solve this problem of the decline in
traditional family life?
Think
Pair
Share
Solutions
1. A return to traditional family values e.g. life
long marriage, recognition of the duties and
responsibilities of parenthood
2. A change in government policy e.g.
redirecting welfare benefits and social
service provision to support and maintain
two parent families
Why are some women single mothers?
Who supports single mother financially?
Do you agree the family is
in decline?
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The family and society is just changing,
following the ways of the world, nothing will
remain the same
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New types of family don’t always have a
negative impact on children as sometimes
family separation is necessary for the well
being of the child
TASK 1:
Read through your handout make notes on
why the New Right oppose lone parent
families.
TASK 2:
Read the statements –
Complete the grid to identify
If it is a New Right/ Feminist
statement
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Use the handouts on Functionalism (p55)&
the New Right (p61) to answer the essay
questions
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Complete your essay cover sheet with targets
from the last essay you completed
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Complete the question sheet, key terms, key
sociologists and submit it with your essays
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The New Right perspective emphasises the
idea that lone-parent families are a burden
upon society. Should the government look
after them by taxing other people?