Social Policies and Family Diversity
TITLE
Evaluate the view that social policies are the main reason for increased family diversity.
ESSAY
🌟Title: Evaluating the Influence of Social Policies on Increased Family Diversity🌟
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🌟Introduction🌟
In modern society, the structure and dynamics of families have evolved significantly, leading to increased diversity in family forms. The role of social policies in shaping these changes has been a topic of debate. This essay aims to evaluate the view that social policies are the main reason for the increased family diversity. The discussion will present arguments in support and against this perspective, while also considering other relevant factors contributing to family diversity.
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🌟In Support of Social Policies🌟
1. 🌟Laws Facilitating Family Transformation🌟
💥 Social policies such as laws making divorce more accessible and legal recognition of diverse family forms, like same💥sex relationships, have contributed to the expansion of family diversity.
2. 🌟Financial Support for Different Family Structures🌟
💥 Welfare systems providing financial assistance to single💥parent families and initiatives supporting religious and cultural diversity have influenced the acceptance and development of non💥traditional family arrangements.
3. 🌟Cultural Influence🌟
💥 Globalization and increased migration have introduced alternative family forms into societies, challenging traditional family norms and promoting diversity.
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🌟Against the View: Alternative Factors Influencing Family Diversity🌟
1. 🌟Changing Social Attitudes🌟
💥 Shifts in societal perspectives, including wider acceptance of different family forms, have played a significant role in shaping the current landscape of family diversity.
2. 🌟Individualism and Personal Choice🌟
💥 The rise of individualism has empowered individuals to make choices based on personal desires and ambitions, impacting family structures and leading to diverse family configurations.
3. 🌟Demographic Changes and Feminist Influence🌟
💥 Factors such as increased life expectancy, delayed childbearing due to education and career pursuits, secularization, and the influence of feminism have all contributed to a more varied family landscape.
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🌟Research Evidence and Additional Concepts🌟
1. 🌟Supporting Research🌟
💥 References to Divorce Acts, Civil Partnership Acts, and scholars such as Murray, Morgan, and Giddens can provide empirical evidence to support arguments on the impact of social policies on family diversity.
2. 🌟Additional Concepts🌟
💥 Concepts like cohabitation, blended families, matrifocal households, and individualism can supplement the discussion on the complex factors influencing family diversity.
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🌟Conclusion🌟
In conclusion, while social policies have played a significant role in fostering increased family diversity, it is clear that a multitude of factors contribute to the evolving nature of family structures. By critically evaluating the interplay of social policies, changing attitudes, individual choices, and cultural influences, a comprehensive understanding of the diverse family landscape can be gained. Ultimately, a holistic approach considering various influences is necessary to comprehend the complexities of family diversity in contemporary society.
SUBJECT
SOCIOLOGY
LEVEL
A level and AS level
NOTES
Evaluate the view that social policies are the main reason for increased family diversity.
Indicative content
In support
💥 Laws making divorce more accessible to enable new family formation.
💥 New laws legally recognising other family forms, e.g. same💥sex.
💥 Welfare system to financially support single💥parent families.
💥 Social policies supporting religious and cultural diversity.
💥 Increased migration has introduced alternative family forms to the cultural dominant.
💥 Globalisation has led to the transmission of western ideas onto non💥western cultures.
💥 Any other appropriate point.
Against the view
💥 Changing social attitudes and wider acceptance of different family forms.
💥 Growth in individualism leading people to choose family forms reflecting personal desires and ambitions.
💥 Women focusing on education/careers, resulting in having children later in life and smaller families.
💥 Secularisation and loss of religious influence.
💥 Demographic changes influencing family structures.
💥 Impact of feminism and rise in female independence altering relationship dynamics within the family.
💥 Increased life expectancy contributing to more chances of separating/divorcing and forming new family forms.
💥 Increased family diversity may be exaggerated, as the nuclear family remains dominant.
💥 Any other appropriate point.
Research evidence
💥 Divorce Acts, Civil Partnership Acts
💥 The works of Murray, Morgan, New Right Beck, Wilkinson, liberal feminism, Rapoport & Rapoport, Giddens, Global optimists, Smart & Stevens
💥 Additional concepts like cohabitation, underclass, reconstituted and blended families, matrifocal, individualism, pure relationship, symmetrical family, negotiated family, lifecourse analysis, dual earner nuclear family